Accent plants usually serve as a garden’s backdrop, complementing the colorful flowers that take center stage. But there’s more to a beautiful garden than fancy flowers. Foliage plants can make a sophisticated statement when planted alone in containers or as the focal point in ground plantings. Elegant displays can range from colorful leaf combinations to those in basic black.
1. Foliage begonias. These begonias are grown for their striking leaves instead of their showy flowers. Many varieties have unusual leaf shapes or patterns, like Gryphon with its large, metallic, claw-like leaves that sit atop bronze stems. Foliage begonias add a tropical feel to shady garden beds, balcony plantings or patio containers. Most grow 12 to 16 inches tall and do best with regular fertilizing and light watering through the summer. Many can be brought inside for winter.
2. Coleus. This versatile foliage plant offers something for every garden. New varieties of colorful sun coleus are easy to grow and don’t fade in bright light. ColorBlaze Dark Star has classy, dark purple-to-black fringed foliage and performed beautifully in Colorado State University’s Annual Flower Trial Garden. Other coleus in the ColorBlaze collection feature stunning chartreuse leaves. Plant in well-drained soil, water sparingly, and pinch off blooms as they appear.
3. Purple fountain grass. Pennisetum purpureum adds drama and motion with its long, dark leaves and tall, fuzzy tassels. This annual ornamental grass is heat-tolerant and serves as an eye-catching landscape plant or a smart option for adding height to container plantings.
4. Copper leaf plant. This one goes by the botanical name of Acalypha wilkesiana. Bronze Pink is a heat-loving annual with especially attractive dark pink-to-reddish bronze leaves. The plant has an upright habit and can grow to 30 inches tall but only 12 inches wide. Plant alone in containers or masses in the garden for a fashionable display. (Use with caution, as plant parts can be harmful if eaten.)
5. Sweet potato vine. Ipomoea batatas Sidekick Black Heart is another winner from CSU’s Annual Flower Trial Garden. The dark, heart-shaped leaves of this sweet potato vine grow in full sun on a semi-compact bushy plant that maintains a mounded form. Other varieties have different leaf shapes and range from lime green to multicolored leaves.
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