Flowers often get all the attention, but a garden simply isn’t complete without its fair share of foliage plants. While it’s certainly important to incorporate some subtle ground covers or ornamental grasses, we believe the best foliage plants to invest in are the ones that make a statement! These big, bold beauties are a few of our favorites you’ll find in our Summer 2020 catalogue. Here’s a little sample of some of the lovely leaves to look forward to this year.
Alocasia Mayan Mask
This flashy tropical foliage plant has double the appeal with its two-toned leaves. The top of each leaf is glossy, dark green, with lighter green veins, and the underside is a rich maroon-purple. These are very special plants that make bold container “thrillers” or focal points in the garden. As they sway in the summer breeze, they seem to “sing” to you. However, the other critters in your garden aren’t big fans of this whimsical plant—in fact, they’ll leave Mayan Mask right alone!
Athyrium Ghost
This breathtaking fern, a hybrid cross between the Japanese Painted Fern and the Lady Fern, brings an ethereal presence to shade gardens. The finely textured fronds are pale green with attractive purple stems, and in the shade, the plant appears as white as its namesake! These ferns are truly spectacular to behold in mass plantings, and they’re excellent plants for novice gardeners. They’re very easy to grow in soil that’s been enriched with a little compost. Better yet, deer and rabbits avoid them—you could say they’re afraid of Ghosts!
Colocasia Diamond Head
Purple foliage plants add spectacular contrast in the garden, and this bold tropical is no exception. We love this variety for its size, color, and texture—the glossy, deep purple foliage feels almost velvety to the touch, and the clumps of oversized foliage can reach heights up to five feet tall! The height of this variety seems to directly correlate with the moisture and organic matter of its soil. For the biggest, boldest Colocasia, plant yours in a submerged pot in your water garden.
Caladium Apple Blossom
If you crave colorful foliage, this pink and green foliage plant will satisfy your sweet tooth with its vibrant candy colors. Large, showy leaves with green borders, speckles and splotches of bubblegum pink, and bold red venation make this Caladium a sensation in the garden. Of course, a plant this dramatic has to have a bit of a diva streak—in this case, Apple Blossom won’t tolerate cool soils. Once the soil is nice and warm, however, this tropical treat will feel right at home and grace your garden, containers, and vases with a head-turning show all summer long.
Musa Siam Ruby
This red-leaved banana plant leaves a big impression with its chartreuse specks and streaks. The chartreuse tones highlight the bronze-red base shade in such a way that the plant nearly appears to be glowing! Siam Ruby demands attention and will steal the show in your containers and garden beds. Their color intensifies as they mature, making a brilliant backdrop for smaller-scale tropicals.
The right foliage plants add dimension and volume to your garden design while emphasizing the beauty of your flowering favorites. All of these delightful foliage plants and more are available for order now in our Summer catalogue. We recommend choosing bold foliage plants that can hold their own or play nicely with others—that way, you’ll always have a phenomenal focal point between blooming periods!
