Foliage plants can add many different colours and textures to a perennial garden. Plants with foliage of various green shades or other colours can add interest to the garden at all times of the year. Some foliage plants produce small blooms while other plants have attractive foliage as an added feature to their colourful flowers.
- Achillea spp. (Yarrow) is grown for its fernlike, silver grey foliage and small flowers. There are several Achillea species and they range in height from 10 cm to 120 cm making them adaptable to many locations in the perennial border.
- Artemesia spp. (Wormwood) These plants have delicate, silky foliage of dark green to silvery green and range from 25 cm to 120 cm in height.
- Cerastium tomentosum (Snow-in Summer) The silvery, woolly foliage of this 15 cm plant is pleasing in the border front throughout the season.
- Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) The dark green heart shaped leaves are an added attraction of this plant which also produces colourful daisy-like flowers from August to October on 120 cm stems.
- Hosta spp. (Plantain-Lily) are shade tolerant foliage plants. They have a variety of leaf textures and colours that range from a variegated cream and green to one that is silvery blue. These plants range from 30-90cm and produce small lily-like flowers in July.
- Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft) Dark green evergreen foliage in neat 50 cm tufts produces an interesting effect at any time of the year in a low border or rock garden. Snow white masses of flowers in June adds to this plant's appeal.
- Lysimachia clethoroides (Loosestrife) adds interesting fall colour to a garden when the foliage turns a bronzy yellow. Spikes of white flowers on 60-90 cm stems are produced in July and August.
- Polygonatum sp. (Solomon's Seal) The foliage of this plant is attractive all season long. The broad oval leaves can be solid green or variegated. Small tubular white flowers are produced on these 90 cm graceful arching plants in May.
- Sedum spectabile (Showy Stonecrop) The fleshy blue-green leaves of sedums provide a unique texture in the garden. Pink flowers are borne on 45-60 cm stems from August to frost.
- Sempervivum tectorum (Hens-andChickens) make good companion plants to sedums in the garden with their rosette leaf formation. Foliage form and colour varies as does the colour of 30 cm midsummer flowers.
- Thalictrum (Meadow Rue) are 150 cm plants grown for their delicate compound foliage and light airy flowers. There are many different species providing a variety of foliage forms and colours.