|
Statistics
Members: 237
News: 1054
Web Links: 17
Visitors: 640601
|
|
Flowering Plants or Foliage Plants |
|
|
|
It's spring again and many of us will be madly scooping up plants at the local nurseries and greenhouses. Often just buying whatever catches our eye without a lot of planning. That can be lots of fun but one drawback is we often purchase plants that are in flower at the time of purchase and end up with more early flowering plants in our garden. It can be difficult sometimes to have lots of color in the garden all year around. So something I have been doing more is working with plants that have dramatic or intensely colored foliage. This works well in the garden beds as well as in containers. I especially love foliage plants in my containers to keep the interest before I have a great deal of blossoms, or at the times when the blossoming has slowed down. Ipomoea or ornamental sweet potato vine is fabulous in containers. There is a great range of colors to choose from and some have really interesting shaped foliage as well. 'Blackie' has serrated black foliage, and 'Marguerite' has lovely lime green foliage that really stands out and offsets other colors beautifully. There are others to choose from including variegated varieties so you should be able to find one or more that will suit your needs.
Helichrysum is another great choice for tubs and baskets. This vine is especially wonderful in hanging baskets and with a few hard pruning will bush out and look great in containers. The soft chartreuse color of 'Limelight' is extremely popular, but there are many others to choose from.
The new varieties of sun tolerant coleus are great also. They come in nearly every color imaginable and work well in beds or tubs.
Heuchera plants are a favorite of mine for the garden. They come in a nearly endless range of color of foliage and have some awesome textures so they add great interest all season. But don't stop there. Try adding extra appeal with variegated foliage, like variegated irises or Yuccas, or variegated Jacobs Ladder in that sunny bed. Or if you have a shadier location, try one or more varieties of Hosta or fern. There are some wonderful ferns on the market now that tolerate more sun and are very hardy. Japanese painted fern, Athyrium nipponicum is one of my favorites. It has wonderful silver grey foliage with dark stems and veins.
Using interesting and intensely colored foliage plants can add a dramatic statement to your garden, as well as being attractive throughout the whole growing season.
Lindi Karmason
|
|
Subscription
Special OfferOrder 12 ISSUES of the CHOICE for family and friends for only $12.00 plus gst (Canada only). Send your name and address and a cheque to Seniors Choice at Box 41075 RPO South, Lake Country, BC V4V 1Z7
MYRA CANYON KELOWNA BC
SILVER STAR VERNON BC
|
