Curtain Up: Here Come the Foliage Plants!

It seems like gardens are always just about one thing: colorful and showy blooms. But it doesn't always have to be about flowers! Foliage plants impress with their unique leaves, showing us how to shine even without blossoms.

Foliage plants are completely underestimated, and unfairly so. They too can beautify a garden, and when properly showcased, they are far from mere gap-fillers. After all, plants have leaves, and they can certainly show them off with pride.

Plants that lack showy blooms have to get creative to avoid being overshadowed by roses, hydrangeas, and the like. Foliage plants have taken this to heart, producing features that roses simply can't compete with.

The Chinese rhubarb (Darmera peltata) boasts leaves that can reach up to 50 centimeters in diameter. The umbrella plant (Darmera peltata) and plume poppy (Macleaya cordata) also adorn themselves with unique leaves found only among foliage plants. And for those who can't get enough of large leaves, the Chinese mammoth leaf (Gunnera manicata) is a must-have for your garden bed.

If you combine these leaf giants with ferns and other green plants, you can create a real mini-jungle in your flowerbed. A little bit of wild growth is perfectly fine here. Not only does it save time on gardening, but it also transforms the flowerbed into a small primeval forest offering all sorts of leaf shapes. Who needs blooms then?

The leaves of foliage plants aren't just exceptionally large; they can also be incredibly colorful. The star among foliage plants is the Hosta (Funkie). It shows off with yellow-mottled, blue, or green leaves often adorned with white margins. Hostas are particularly well-suited for partial shade, as their lighter leaves would quickly scorch in full sun. When combined with a few ornamental shrubs and groundcovers, Hostas transform shady spots into vibrant corners.

Don't underestimate the various nettle species either. The black snakeroot (Schwarznessel) truly makes a statement. Not only does it love the sun, but it also impresses with leaves in unique colors and shapes. The often-underestimated dead-nettle (Taubnessel) is just as striking and is also a popular foliage plant. For a background act, the castor bean plant (Wunderbaum) is excellent. Its truly special leaves add a burst of color, making the garden even more vibrant in summer than it already is.

When it comes to exceptional leaves, you certainly can't overlook groundcovers. Among them, you'll find some truly remarkable foliage plants. Bergenia and wild ginger (Asarum europaeum) impress with their soft, round leaves, while cranesbill (Geranium) appears much more angular and pointed. Also not to be underestimated are wood sorrel (Oxalis) and stonecrop (Sedum).

If sprawling groundcovers are too flat for your liking, you can break up the look with boxwood. It can be perfectly shaped and its compact growth creates an extravagant stylistic contrast. For particularly beautifully colored leaves, a maple tree delivers, offering everything from fresh green to vibrant red. Even the vegetable patch can contribute with pretty leaves: Swiss chard displays strong red stems, and artichokes have a very distinctive growth habit. Foliage plants simply fit into every garden!