Flowers come and go, but foliage is sure to leave a lasting impression on gardens

Since I was a kid, I have appreciated the beauty of flowers and embraced Claude Monet’s quote, “I must have flowers, always, and always.” I, too, must have flowers and relish the joy they bring to my life. But in the past few years, I recognize the value that foliage has in highlighting the showy blooms.

Although flowers have a natural way of taking center stage, plant breeders focus more attention on the foliage. Flowers come and go, but it is the foliage that supports the plant’s growth and develops the next buds.

Flowers have a variety of colors, forms and textures. These same attributes are found in foliage, often more distinct and showier than flowers. I have embraced the use of foliage in my garden, especially in containers. By focusing on the foliage, I do not wait on the next set of flowers to bloom to give me color. Instead, each day the foliage delivers the look and feel I want to achieve.

Coleus is one of the best examples of foliage plants for the garden. Years ago, this plant was a wimpy, shade-loving plant. Wizard Mix was the mainstay on the market. That was until the sun coleus was introduced.

Sun coleus was a game changer. The new genetics beefed up the plant, which was now happy in the sun or shade. Coleus foliage comes in an array of reds, ambers, purples, whites and shades of green. Easy to grow, this plant dominates the market.

The latest genetics with coleus changes the plant from the strong, upright growing habit and introduced trailing varieties. Burgundy Wedding Train has a gentle flowing appearance that softens a container edge. Trailing varieties are now a must for some of my patio containers.

Many other wonderful annuals provide summer color with foliage. Numerous varieties of Plectranthus come in shades of gray, greens and chartreuse filling a container. Dichondra, Silver Falls has a soft, fuzzy gray vining habit spilling over the edge of a pot, as does sweet potato vine. Caladiums come in a myriad of colors with clear, bright foliage. Tropical species such as canna, Colocasia (elephant ears), and papyrus are nice additions.

These are just a few of the delightful annuals on the market. Recently, I found more inspiration, not in the annual section at the garden center, but in the houseplant isle. Grandma’s houseplants work great outdoors in pots. Pothos, airplane plant, peace lily, croton, philodendron, palms and Sansevieria work well in combination. Kimberly Queen ferns have a lacy texture and look great when planted alone or in a mixed container.

Houseplants can take a wide range of exposures. Just because we think of them as low light plants does not mean they will not take summer sun. Many of these plants in their native habitat thrive in sunshine. They have just learned to adapt to our low-light homes.

Yes, I still must have flowers always, but I appreciate the value foliage brings to the garden. Flowers come and go, but foliage shines day in and day out, making the container pop.

Dennis Patton is a horticulture agent with Kansas State University Research and Extension. Have a question for him or other university extension experts? Email them to garden.help@jocogov.org.

This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 5:00 PM.