This time of the year, I really start appreciating foliage in the garden. As the heat of the summer drags on, many flowers begin to fade, but foliage just keeps on giving and giving day after day, week after week. It is hard to build a garden entirely around flowers that look good all season long, but start with a solid foundation of great looking leaves, and you have a garden that you can rely on without a lot of fuss and bother. We all know the usual suspects when it comes to foliage plants—hostas, coleus, and heuchera—but here are some of my favorites that are a little more off the beaten path.

Blue shadow fothergilla (Fothergilla × intermedia ‘Blue Shadow’, Zones 5–8). There is a lot to love about this little shrub: the showy bottle-brush white flowers in the spring, the astonishingly brilliant fall color. But my favorite feature is the incredible powder-blue color of the leaves. Putting the plant in part shade ensures the best leaf color, and that pale hue really brightens up a dark spot in the garden.

Gold-leaved white poplar (Populus alba ‘Richardii’, Zones 3–8). This yellow-leaved version of the white poplar is a great shrub or small tree, with bright yellow-green leaves that are bright white on their backs. It makes a brilliant statement in the garden and is wonderful to add to flower arrangements. I like pruning my plant back hard each year to encourage it to send out lots of long stems of colorful leaves.

I love sunflowers, so how about a sunflower with great foliage? The silver-leaved sunflower (Helianthus argophyllus, annual) has the same sunny yellow bloom you are used to, just paired with fuzzy silver leaves. Extremely tolerant of heat and drought, this is a tough plant. It’s also a great one for wildlife: pollinators love the flowers, and birds adore the seeds that come later.

Great foliage can be green too. This picture isn’t from a garden, but rather shows a mass of native ferns I found while hiking in northern Michigan. It is a scene well worth recreating in the garden—a soothing, green tapestry that will look good all season long. See our plant guide to wood ferns here.

Speaking of terrific green foliage, what about topiary? This scene from the Ladew Topiary Gardens in Monkton, Maryland, shows the creative possibilities of having a few shrubs and some pruning sheers. Many large topiaries like these are too much work for most of us, but one or two small creations can bring a lot of interest year-round.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Rain Bird PATIOKIT Drip Irrigation Patio Watering Kit

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- Complete 42-piece drip irrigation kit eliminates watering by hand
- Provides drip irrigation for up to 6 planters
- Easy to assemble: just attach to faucet, cut tubing and connect watering devices
- Attaches easily to your outdoor faucet or hose

Buy at Amazon

Nelson Multi-Pattern Stationary Sprinkler

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- 8 Pre-Set Watering Patterns
- Impact-resistant, plastic base
- Soft grip on multi-pattern head

Buy at Amazon

Gilmore Rubber Hose Washer 10pk

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- Live red rubber construction, 3/4in. washers
- Clip of 10

Buy at A.M. Leonard