“Flowering annuals have always been my go-to for pots, planters and hanging baskets, but honestly, foliage plants deserve their moment in the spotlight too.”
Bird of Paradise
Strelitzia reginae
Flowering annuals have always been my go-to for pots, planters and hanging baskets, but honestly, foliage plants deserve their moment in the spotlight too.
Whether they're paired with companions or flying solo, I've found that leafy perennials bring consistent interest all season long. Their foliage—solid or variegated—adds eye-catching color and texture. Trust me, they can complement or contrast beautifully with other foliage and flowers.
Foliage plant recommendations for sun & shade
When you hear "foliage plants," those large, lush shade-loving leaves probably spring to mind first—but trust me, there are sun-loving options too. Chuck Pavlich, director of new product development for grower Terra Nova Nurseries, recommends stonecrops, sedums and dark-leaved coral bells (Heuchera), like 'Forever Purple', for sunny planters.
For shade, he suggests lighter heucheras, like 'Lime Marmalade', as well as Tiarella, hybrid Heucherella and many other shade-garden favorites I've come to adore, including Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra), lungworts (Pulmonaria) and even larger plants like bugbane (Actaea 'Black Negligee'), Rodgersia 'Bronze Peacock' and the shrubby Fatsia 'Spider's Web'.
Related Article:Bold Foliage Plants for Colorful Garden Combinations
Don't underestimate the impact of a specimen container
These bigger plants are natural choices to fill a planter on their own, but Chuck suggests giving smaller perennials a solo spot too, noting that "well-grown specimens can make a bold and elegant statement." Mixing different plants in one container can get complicated visually and practically, so he offers a few reminders:
"Investigate the growth habit of the chosen plants for a container. Do they all take sun? Do they all need shade?" he says. "How big will they get over the summer? Does one like a dry container and the other need more moisture? Just make sure they are horticulturally compatible."
Related Article:Create Annual Planters that Are Dramatic and Full of Color
3 Ways to Maintain Healthy, Beautiful Foliage in Containers
In my experience, foliage-focused plants can actually be less demanding in pots than alternatives—especially flowering annuals, which seem to need constant feeding and deadheading. That said, all plants need some love. Here are a few pointers:
- Getting started: Chuck Pavlich reminds us to begin with a well-designed container and a quality growing mix blended for pots. "Make certain the container has adequate drain holes," he says. "Soggy soil goes into an anaerobic state. It lacks oxygen, smells sour and harbors harmful bacteria and disease." Trust me, drainage is everything.
- Keep growing: Chuck recommends treating container perennials with one application of a slow-release fertilizer "to avoid excess, soft growth," but he adds that a quick punch of liquid feed can help lagging plants later on. And as with all pots and planters, I always check the soil moisture daily—make it a habit!
- At the end of the summer: In cold climates, the simplest way I've found to handle hardy perennials or shrubs is to transplant them into the garden four to six weeks before the expected first frost. Tender plants can be moved, pot and all, into a cool, dry space to sit dormant until spring. And tropicals? Bring them inside as houseplants—they'll love it!
Related Article:Overwintering Tropical Plants in Containers
Foliage-Focused Container Combinations for Sun
Accent a flowering shrub with annual and perennial foliage
Coarse-leaved perennials anchor the base of this drought-tolerant mixed container (pictured above), showcasing the airy stems of a bronze-leaved beautyberry shrub (Callicarpax 'Pearl Glam'). What I love about this combo: the mottled purple, succulent, starburst-shaped Mangave 'Inkblot' echoes the beautyberry's color. It's balanced on the left by ornamental oregano (Origanumx hybrida 'Kirigami') with its leaflike tiered flower bracts, and on the right by purple sage (Salvia officinalis 'Purpurea'), brushing shoulders with a cool-hued, trailing stonecrop (Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce').
At the center of the pot, Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) provides fine-textured contrast with its feathery silver leaves. And those late-summer purple flowers? A lovely bonus in this pot.
Add tender shrubs for interesting foliage-focused containers
A large container makes the perfect home for a unique plant like this honeybush (Melianthus major; above). I've found that this fleshy-stemmed tender shrub (USDA Zones 8 and warmer) is usually treated like a perennial with a hard cutting back in early spring. That creates a more compact plant—the better to show off those glaucous, toothed leaflets that make up the compound leaves. Plus, the pot prevents unwanted spread, which honeybush can definitely commit in the ground.
Here, flowering annuals—trailing black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata) and Begonia Sparks Will Fly ('Brothglow')—add bright pops of color while nicely covering the base of the stems.
Related Article:5 Flowering Vines to Grow from Seed
Houseplants shine in summer containers
Foliage houseplants can take their talents outdoors for summer—just like this variegated rubber plant (Ficus elastica 'Variegata'; pictured above) that I adore. Trailing companions include purple-leaved Joseph's coat (Alternanthera brasiliana 'Purple Prince'), an annual, and silvery Tradescantia sillamontana 'White Velvet', which you can also keep as a houseplant. 'Profusion White' zinnias add a nice touch of floral interest.
Foliage-Focused Containers for Shade
Elephant ear adds bold leaves to shade containers
A refined color palette and one splash of fine texture among bold leaves really set this container apart (pictured above). A dark elephant ear (Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic') serves as the stunning centerpiece, with a bugleweed (Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop') echoing its color. Green-veined Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost') and a silver deadnettle (Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver') continue the heart-shaped leaf theme, while grassy Lomandra longifolia 'Platinum Beauty' adds an exciting twist.
Related Article:Tropical Fusion | How To Use Nonhardy Plants in Temperate Gardens
Try a monochromatic color scheme for foliage containers
Green shades planted in layers really show off the power of foliage plants. Above, the fronds of a tree fern arch over the deep green, unusual Hosta 'Praying Hands'—one of my personal favorites. White-edged, minty Sedum spurium 'Tricolor' and chartreuse spikemoss (Selaginella kraussiana) spill beautifully over the edge of the container.
Mix houseplants with annuals for texture and color
Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides) is an absolute no-brainer for consistent bright color in shady pots. Above, a red-leaved variety finds leafy support in two houseplants: Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), whose fronds complement the coleus's leaf shape, and a golden dracaena, whose hue picks up the lime edge of the coleus foliage. Love that pairing!
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