Foliage Pictures

As gardeners mature they appreciate the foliage of their plants. Leaf shape and colour, and contrasting textures in small groupings of plants become as interesting as the colour and form of flowers. I grow many plants only for their foliage, and I enjoy variegated forms. In a large garden there is room for spots and stripes, blotches and speckles.

Gunnera Leaf...: Gunnera leaves are an extraordinary shape, and are very sculptural. I grow lots of this huge perennial along the water race.
Garden Border Foliage...: Foliage contasts work well in the garden. This photograph shows a darker green New Zealand Phormium with a lime green Spiraea and some flowering Japanese Irises. Pretty greens!
Variegated Mallow Leaf...: Variegated foliage can be soft and subtle - as in this short lived perennial Mallow. Small lilac flowers in summer are a bonus, as are just a few variegated seedlings which self-sow.
Autumn Cotinus Shrub...: The purple Cotinus shrub has mush to offer the foliage garden. In this photograph its leaves are preparing for fall, or autumn.
Hosta Leaf...: This beautiful variegated green hosta is covered in raindrops.
Angelica and Flax...: Angelica in my garden makes a brilliant green spring foliage display. Here are some Angelica seed-heads, snuggling up to a New Zealand flax.
Flax with Mexican Orange Blossom...: This pair of neighbouring plants emphasises sunshine and brightness. The flax is a Yellow Wave, and the Choisya is the yellow leaved Sundance variety.
Dwarf Agapanthus Leaves...: These are dwarf blue agapanthuses which never get to flower, as they are in the shade of the hosta garden. I keep them there though for their clean green strappy leaves.
Carex...: A detail of the hairlike Carex leaves
Euphorbia Martinii...: This photo shows a beautiful collection of leaves and seedheads of this lovely Euphorbia.
Conifer...: A close up detail of the lacework seen in a conifer branch
Heuchera...: Heuchera is a very helpful plant for planting at the edge of a border.
Iris Japonica...: Iris Japonica has served me well in mass plantings both in sun and in shade. It is a foliage plant which transplants at any time of year.
Lupin and Spiraea Leaves...: A study in the beautiful shapes of different leaves
Spots and Stripes...: The spotted Pulmonaria leaves contrast well with the strappy shiny green leaves of Iris Japonica.
Acacia Seed Pods...: These red tinged seed pods are very ornamental, hanging on the Wattle tree.
Calamagrottis...: The seedheads of this Calamagrostis grass are left on through Winter to be admired and enjoyed.
Variegated Sedum...: This is an easy care plant which I like to plant almost at the edge of borders, allowing it to flop over and be noticed.
Sedum Embrace...: This is a photo of two sedum friends who live in adjacent pots on the house patio. The honey coloured one is called Sedum Adolphii.
Common Sage Leaves...: I use the common purple sage as a foliage plant, and take cuttings each autumn for fresh plants.
Sempervivum under Seat...: These sempervivums were transplanted here before the Dogpath seat was built.

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