Are you endlessly seduced by flowers like me? Need some help making your garden more stylish? Contrasting or even non-contrasting foliage plants really do go a long way in setting off your favorite bloomers – annual or perennial. Added benefits are those popular buzzwords: “texture & form.” And of course, foliage plants look great in mixed containers, too.

Rumex sanguineus ssp. Sanguineas “Red Veined Dock” – What a great foliage plant this is! It’s extremely long lived & always looks good. Nice, dense rosettes of red-veined, lance-shaped leaves combine nicely with practically everything. One of your best choices for front to mid-bed. I’ve never seen it flower, which is a bonus I hear because Dock flowers aren’t very attractive. This one too will thrive in Sun to part shade & requires no special care. Nice with “Black Bachelor’s Buttons,” Columbines & lovely with Verbascum ‘Southern Charm.’

Millium effuseum ‘Aureum’ “Bowles Golden Grass”

Dense borne, bright chartreuse foliage makes this a stunning grass for shade. Grows under oaks, too. It’s supposed to reseed mildly, tho it hasn’t done so for me yet. The foliage grows to 12” tall & the sparse, barely noticeable flowering panicles will go another 12” higher. Seed was scare this year, so it might be a good idea to call us to hold one for you.

Beta ‘Bull’s Blood’ or ‘MacGregor’s Favorite’

Yes, these are beets – ornamental beets, mind you. With their luscious, deepest ruby, metallic leaves, they combine beautifully with silvery foliage, variegated foliage & just about any flower color. The rosette grows to only about 6” tall by 10-12” wide & will stay nice and neat for at least two years. Their small size makes it a good choice for the front of a bed, along a path or in a good sized container (the beet root takes up space). I was pleasantly surprised to find they do well in both sun & bright shade. Excellent next to annual Nemesia ‘Orange Prince’ or the perennial, silver foliaged Sideritis cypria. Edible too – Anni Jensen says ‘Bull’s Blood’ is tastier.