When choosing plants, gardeners consider the first flowers. Plants interested in foliage are often overlooked, which adds a distinct element to the landscape. There are a number of annuals, shrubs, and trees that give leaf colour during the growing season. Look for characteristics such as colour, varied patterns, leaf shape, and texture. Some varieties change colour throughout the year, whereas others display stunning autumn colours.
Therefore, if you are looking forward to seeing your garden beautiful the whole year when it is not blooming season, then the foliage plants are a great example for you and it is easy to maintain. In this guide, I will discuss a few amazing foliage plants that are grown in outdoor space under full sunlight.
Popular Foliage Plants
1. Artemisia
Scientific name: Artemisia spp.
The type of plant is herbaceous perennial, and you can grow it every year. This foliage plant requires full sunlight to grow well. Moreover, the habit of this plant is straight, sloping, or spreading. The height of this plant is about 1 to 6 feet and it spreads into 1 to 2 foot spaces.
Moreover, the common names of Artemisia are wormwood and mugwort. People like to grow it because of various kinds of foliage, such as white, grey, and silver. The pungent, fragrant leaves are deeply lobed or finely chopped, adding a soft texture to the landscape. You can use it as a background plant and also grow it with other plants in pots.
Furthermore, this is the best plant for a rock or herb garden. Summer to fall is the best blooming time period for this foliage plant. Most of the species of Artemisia are non-poisonous to pets and children. A dry climate with around 6 hours of direct sunlight is necessary for growing this plant because it faces many difficulties in a wet and humid environment.
2. Boxwood
Scientific name: Buxus spp.
It is one of the evergreen shrubs. It needs full sun for growing quickly. It has a dense shrub or straight habit. The height of boxwood plants is approximately 1 to 20 feet and 2 to 8 feet wide. Boxwood has long been used as a clipped hedge or live sculpture in formal European design.
Apart from this, the small leaves and compact habit cut themselves nearly into a manicured shape, adding texture to the landscape. Utilize boxwood as a hedge to define garden rooms, as centrepieces of sculpture, in containers, along passages, or as privacy screens. Well-drained and acidic soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0 is the most appropriate for this plant.
3. Caladium
Scientific name: Caladium bicolor
The type of this foliage plant is tropical summer bulb. The height of this plant is 18 to 24 inches. They need partial to full sunlight. You should grow it in well-drained organic soil. Angel wings is the another name of this plant.
It contains the bold arrowhead-shaped leaves that come in a range of intricate patterns and colours. Consequently, these shade lovers bring brightness to the dark areas of the yard. You can keep it in a container or pot. Interestingly, you can also combine this plant with other shady plants like Hosta, ferns, coleus, and so on.
4. Coleus
Scientific name: Coleus scutellarioides
It is one of the tropical annual foliage plants. They need partial shade from sunlight. The height of this plant is 6 to 36 inches. You can find this foliage plant 12 to 36 inches wide. Coleus is the most popular Victorian bedding plant, and it is grown for its foliage, as it arrives in an infinite range of shapes and patterns, from bright yellow to almost black.
Further, you can grow this plant in window boxes, containers, borders, and anywhere else in your outdoor space. It is a non-poisonous plant, but sometimes it may cause skin irritation. Combine with other plants like elephant’s ear, begonia, or fuchsia for a glowing summer performance. They require water regularly to grow quickly.
5. Coral Bells
Scientific name: Heuchera spp.
It comes in a perennial plant type. It requires partial to full sunlight. The height of this plant is 6 to 18 inches and 12 to 30 inches wide. Coral bells are mainly grown for their evergreen foliage that comes in a variety of colours and shapes. Apart from this, it is a low-maintenance plant, so it is also fool proof for beginner gardeners. Moreover, use it in containers at the forest boundary, as soil cover, as a pathway edge, or in combination with other plants.
6. Dusty Miller
Scientific name: Jacobaea maritima
You can grow this plant every year. It needs full sunlight. The habit of this plant is straight and bushy. It is 6 to 24 inches tall and wide. It is grown for its velvety silver foliage. It is mostly grown every year and performs well under full sun. Interestingly, you can also grow this plant with other annual plants.
7. Hosta
Scientific name: Hosta spp.
When this foliage plant reaches its maturity phase, the height of this plant is around 6 to 8 inches and 18 to 24 inches wide. There are various kinds of colours you can find in this plant. For example, yellow and gold leaf plants require more sunlight to brighten their colour as compared to others.
You can see this plant in a wide range of colours, shades, and patterns. Spring is the most suitable season for planting this plant. It needs good loamy soil with organic fertilizer. Moreover, the sizes of this plant range from small specimens to truck tyre-sized varieties. Similarly, they also combine well with other wild plants.
8. Lamb’s Ear
Scientific name: Stachys byzantina
This plant contains silver foliage that has a soft fuzzy texture that resembles a sheep’s ear. A native of the Mediterranean, full sun is the most suitable environment for this plant and well-drained soil, and once established, they tolerate drought. Besides this, the height of this plant is 6 to 18 inches and 18 to 36 inches wide. The habit of this plant is spreading mounding.
9. Ninebark
Scientific name: Physocarpus opulifolius
The foliage of this plant arrives in different shades with a variety of colours such as green, purple, burgundy, gold, orange, and many more. Besides, some species grow new foliage that changes colour as the season progresses. Also, it is a low-maintenance plant that can be used in borders, screens, and focal points. The height of this plant is 3 to 10 feet.
For the richest foliage colour, you need to grow this plant under full sunlight. It is considered a toxic foliage plant, so it is necessary to keep it away from humans and pets. It grows best in neutral to acidic and well-drained soil.
10. Rex Begonia
Scientific name: Begonia rex-cultorum
The type of plant is tropical perennial. In fact, it grows best and is healthiest in full sunlight. Therefore, it may suffer from various adverse effects without appropriate sunlight. Additionally, the height of this plant is 8 to 24, and you can also find it in the same range throughout the world.
It is also known as “fancy leaf begonia.” Furthermore, this gorgeous looking plant is valued for its highly ornamental leaves that come in a variety of colours and patterns. This inflammatory tropical perennial is grown outside during the warmer months and is considered an annual plant. Most of these plants are displayed in containers.
11. Canna
Scientific name: Canna spp.
It is a summer bulb plant. The habit of this plant is straight. Just same as other plants, it also requires full sunlight. The height of this plant is 1 to 8 feet and 1 to 6 feet wide. In addition, it contains large banana-like leaves that contain green shades or attractive coloured patterns, giving the landscape a fantastic feel. Apart from this, this plant produces brightly coloured flowers from summer to autumn. Moreover, use mulch in beds or edges, in containers, as a solitary concentrate or in combination with other heat-loving varieties.
Finally, plants play an imperative role in everyone’s lives. So, everyone should know about plants’ history and try to grow them in their garden and home. Above, I mentioned all about foliage plants that help to decorate your outside garden with beautiful leaves in every season without blooming flowers.
Hope, you liked reading the guide. If you think we have missed something or have any suggestion, please drop your valuable opinion in the comment section below.
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