Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
Photo by : Proven Winners
boast in : Garden Design ’s Top 9 Garden Trends for 2023(“Adding grain with leaf industrial plant " )
When take flora , nurseryman usually think of flowers first . Often overlooked are works with foliage interest , which append a different component to the landscape painting .
There are many kinds of yearly , perennials , shrubs , and trees that provide folio colour throughout the growing season . leafage can be an in force background element or take midway stage .
appear for foliage attributes such as colouring material , variegated approach pattern , leaf shape and grain . Some varieties change hues throughout the year , while others present spectacular evenfall coloration . conceive about how unlike plants will depend together and how foliage complement other features such as blossom , berries , fruit , and bark .
ALSO : Designing With leaf Over Flowers
Here are some plant suggestions to get you started :
Proven Accents ® Silver Bullet ® artemisia . Photo by : Proven winner
ARTEMISIA (Artemisiaspp.)
Plant type : Herbaceous perennial , also grown as an annualZones:3 - 9Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright , mounding , or spreading habitHeight / Spread:1 to 6 ft tall , 1 to 12 feet wide-cut
Also known as wormwood or mugwort , Artemisiais grown for the silver , white , or white-haired foliage . The nipping aromatic leaves are deeply lobed or delicately dissected , adding subdued texture to the landscape . Use as a setting plant in a mixed border , as an emphasis in arock gardenorherb garden , or in containers in compounding with other flora .
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Proven Accents ® Silver Bullet ® artemisiafrom Proven Winners , pictured .
Sprinter ® boxwood . Photo by : Proven achiever
BOXWOOD (Buxusspp.)
plant life type : Evergreen shrubZones:5 - 9 , with a few varieties hardy to Zone 4Exposure : Full Dominicus to shadeHabit : dumb shaggy-coated or just habitHeight / Spread:1 to 20 feet tall , 2 to 8 foot wide
Turkish boxwood has long been used in formal European design as clipped hedging or sustenance sculpture . The modest leaf and compact habit lends itself to being prune into neatly manicured shapes , adding structure to the landscape . expend boxwood as hedging to definegarden room , as sculptural focal percentage point , in containers , along nerve tract , or as a privateness screen door .
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Sprinter ® boxwoodfrom Proven Winners , visualize .
Heart to Heart ® ‘ crimson Bride ’ caladium . pic by : Proven Winners
CALADIUM (Caladium bicolor)
plant life type : tropic summer bulbZones:9 - 11 , develop as an annual in colder zonesExposure : Partial to full shadeHabit : Upright spreading habitHeight / Spread:12 to 24 inches tall , 8 to 24 inch wide
Also known as angel wings , Caladiumare grown for the sheer arrowhead - form leave which follow in an array of intricate formula and colors . This shade lover can be used to brighten dark areas of the railway yard . Use as a bedding or container plant . Combine with othershade plantssuch as ferns , hosta , coleus , or impatiens .
take caladiums .
Heart to Heart ® ‘ blush Bride ’ caladiumfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
capital of South Africa canna . photograph by : Proven Winners
CANNA (Cannaspp. and hybrids)
works type : Summer bulbZones:7 - 11 , grown as an yearly in cold zonesExposure : Full sunHabit : upright piano habitHeight / Spread:1 - 1/2 to 8 feet tall , 1 - 1/2 to 6 feet wide
Large banana - like leaves occur in shades of light-green or striking dark pattern , lending an exotic spirit to the landscape . The plants , which are grown from rhizomes , also produce brightly dyed flowers from summer into fall . plenty in bed or borders , apply in container , as a stand - alone focal point , or in combination with other heat - loving varieties .
scan cannas .
ColorBlaze ® Dipt in Wine coleus . pic by : Proven Winners
COLEUS (Plectranthus scutellarioides, syn.Solenostemon scutellarioides)
flora eccentric : tropic annualZones:10 - 11Exposure : fond sunlight to shadeHabit : Mounding , upright , or trailing habitHeight / Spread:6 to 36 inches tall , 12 to 36 inches panoptic
flame nettle is a democratic Victorian bedding industrial plant grown for the foliage , which comes in an eternal regalia of conformation and pattern , in hues from shining xanthous to almost black . maturate this versatile tropical yearly in beds or borders , container , window box or hanging baskets . Combine with other plants such as fuchsias , begonia , or elephant ears for a dazzling summertime exhibit .
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ColorBlaze ® Dipt in Wine coleusfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
Primo ® ‘ Pretty Pistachio ’ , ‘ Mahogany Monster ’ , and ‘ Black Pearl ’ coral bells . Photo by : Proven Winners
CORAL BELLS (Heucheraspp.)
Plant eccentric : PerennialZones:4 - 9Exposure : Partial sun to partial shadeHabit : Mounding or distribute habitHeight / Spread:6 to 18 inches grandiloquent , 12 to 30 inch encompassing
Named for the nodding buzzer - work flowers , coral bells are principally grown for the evergreen plant or semi - evergreen foliage , which comes in a range of colors and shapes . This versatile perennial is large-minded of different spark and grunge conditions and needs little sustainment , have it virtually foolproof even for beginning gardeners . Use in a woodland edge , as aground cover version , nerve pathway inch , or in containers in combination with other plants .
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Primo ® ‘ Pretty Pistachio ’ , ‘ Mahogany Monster ’ , and ‘ Black Pearl ’ coral bellsfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
Dusty Miller . Photo by : Nataliia Politova / Shutterstock
DUSTY MILLER (Jacobaea maritima, syn.Senecio cineraria)
Plant type : Herbaceous perennial , usually grow as an annualZones:7 - 10Exposure : Full sunshine to fond shadeHabit : Upright bushy habitHeight / Spread:6 to 24 in grandiloquent and wide
grow for the velvety silver medal foliage and soft lacy grain , dusty miller goes with a broad range of color pallette , from voiced pastel hues to bold tropic colors . It is most often develop as an yearbook and performs best in full sun . Use as a background flora in a interracial mete , mass as a bedding plant , or place in containers in combining with anthesis annuals .
Elephant ear plant . exposure by : Garden World Images / Alamy Stock Photo
ELEPHANT EAR (Colocasiaspp.)
Plant case : BulbZones:8 - 11Exposure : Full Sunday to fond shadeHabit : vertical vase - shaped habitHeight / Spread:2 to 8 feet tall , 1 to 8 feet wide-cut
Giant bosom - shaped leaves up to 2 feet across resemble elephant ears , hence the common name . Foliage hap in color of immature , majestic , or nearly black , some with striped or speckled rule . In colder climates , the large bulbs can be dug and put in indoors to replant the next spring . Use in container or industrial plant in bed with other tropic looking plant such as canna lilies , coleus , or odorous potato vines .
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Maidenhair fern . pic by : Janet Loughrey
FERNS
Zones:3 - 11Exposure : Partial sun to shadeHabit : Varies by genus and speciesHeight / Spread : Varies by genus and mintage
One of the most valuable plants for shade gardens , fern add a luxuriance to borders , beds , and containers . Plants can tramp from lilliputian forest floor specimens to gargantuan tropical tree ferns . foliation is normally immature , but can also fall out in shades of silver , ashen , gold , orange , or purpleness . brand - shaped leaves with finely dissect edges complement a wide range of shade - loving groundcovers , perennials , and shrubs .
register ferns .
Shadowland ® ‘ Autumn Frost ’ hosta . exposure by : Proven succeeder
HOSTA (Hostaspp.)
plant life case : PerennialZones:3 - 9Exposure : Partial or dappled shadeHabit : mound spreading habitHeight / Spread:2 inches to 4 foot tall , 5 inches to 6 foot wide
One of the most popular perennial for shade garden , the bold leaves of hosta amount in an raiment of colors , patterns and shapes . industrial plant size ranges from lilliputian thumbnail specimen to variety as big as motortruck tyre . Funka are exceptionally stalwart and reliable , combining well with other woodland plants such as ferns , coral bells , and bleeding meat . develop in container , woodland border , or raft plantings .
record hostas .
Shadowland ® ' Autumn Frost’from Proven Winners , picture .
Lamb ’s ear . Photo by : Julia Senkevich / Shutterstock
LAMB’S EAR (Stachys byzantina)
Plant type : Herbaceous perennialZones:4 - 9Exposure : Full Lord’s Day to partial shadeHabit : Mounding spreading habitHeight / Spread:6 to 18 inches marvelous , 12 to 36 inches wide
Grown for the silvery leaf with a soft hazy grain that resembles lamb ’s ears , hence its common name . Native to the Mediterranean , works mature best in full sun and well - drain soil , and are drought - tolerant once established . Use as a quick - produce ground cover , border or footpath butt on , or as a stone garden specimen .
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Lilyturf . Photo by : Simona Pavan / Shutterstock
LILYTURF (Liriopespp.)
Plant eccentric : pasturage - similar evergreen plant herbaceous perennialZones:4 - 10Exposure : Full sun to fond shadeHabit : Mounding clip-clop habitHeight / Spread:8 to 24 inches magniloquent and wide
Strappy K or vary leaves add fine grain and social system to the landscape painting . Purple , pink , or white bloom spike appear in tardy summertime . This quick - growing ground cover is drouth broad and low sustenance once established . Mass along a slope for erosion mastery or use as pathway or borderline edging . relieve oneself a goodsubstitute for turf lawnin areas without regular foundation traffic .
' pinkish - a - blasphemous ' lungwort . picture by : Proven Winners
LUNGWORT (Pulmonariaspp.)
Plant type : Herbaceous perennialZones:3 - 9Exposure : Partial to full shadeHabit : Mounding disseminate habitHeight / Spread:6 to 12 inch marvellous , 1 to 2 feet wide-cut
Grown for the lance - shaped leaves that are greenish , silver , speckled , or patterned . bunch of Alexander Bell - shaped flowers appear in early leaping , pass off in hues of dark , pink , or clean . Plant this shade fan in a woodland garden alongside hellebore , bleeding bosom , hosta , andspring blooming bulbsfor a dazzling early season exhibit .
translate lungwort .
' Pink - a - Blue’from Proven Winners , pictured .
New Zealand Flax . Photo by : John Glover
NEW ZEALAND FLAX (Phormium tenax)
plant life character : Evergreen perennialZones:9 - 11Exposure : Full sun to fond shadeHabit : upright piano spiky habitHeight / Spread:1 to 12 feet marvelous , 1 to 6 metrical foot spacious
The thick sword - corresponding foliation of New Zealand flax lends sheer construction and texture to the landscape . parting get along in shades of immature , burgundy , orange , red , pinkish , and gold , some with bicolor or pinstripe patterns . Use as a focal point in a container or the landscape painting . Potted specimen can beoverwintered indoorsin cold regions .
Ginger Wine ® ninebark . picture by : Proven Winners
NINEBARK (Physocarpus opulifolius)
Plant type : Deciduous shrubZones:2 - 8Exposure : Full sun to partial shadeHabit : upright piano arching or shaggy-haired habitHeight / Spread:3 to 10 feet marvelous , 3 to 12 human foot wide
Ninebark has multi - seasonal appeal . The lobate circle or oval foliage comes in shade of green , purple , Burgundy wine , amber , orange tree , or multi - hues . Some varieties have new foliage emergence that changes semblance as the time of year advance . This carefree shrub can be planted in motley borders , as hedging or screening , or used as a focal point in the landscape painting .
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Ginger Wine ® ninebarkfrom Proven Winners , depict .
pinkish Muhly grass . pic by : atiger / Shutterstock
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
Plant type : PerennialZones:3 - 11 , depending on genus and speciesExposure : Full sun to partial shadeHabit : Upright , mounding , or spreading habitHeight / Spread : Varies by genus and specie
Ornamental sess append texture , movement , and voice to the landscape . There are lots of varieties to choose from in dissimilar gloss , size , and figure . Foliage is often accompanied by attractive seedheads that occur from late spring to fall , depending on the diverseness . These reliable plant are virtually maintenance free , adding winter involvement and provide nutrient and protection for wildlife .
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' Escargot ' begonia . photograph by : Dwi Windarvanto / Shutterstock
REX BEGONIA (Begonia rex-cultorum)
industrial plant type : Tropical perennialZones:10 - 12Exposure : Part to full shadeHabit : Upright mounding habitHeight / Spread:8 to 24 inches tall and wide
Also bed as fancy leaf begonia , these finespun look works are measure for their extremely decorative leave of absence , which fall in a all-inclusive scope of colors and patterns . These flamboyant tropical perennials can be get out of doors in affectionate month and treated as annuals , or overwinter indoors as houseplant . They are most often displayed in container or terrariums , but can also be used as bedding flora in fly-by-night areas .
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See more on theProven Accents ® line of foliage plantsfrom Proven Winners , get container recipes and planting ideas .
