When it comes to creating a stunning garden, flowers often steal the show. But savvy gardeners know that true year-round beauty comes from incorporating plants with a variety of ornamental features. From vibrant foliage to interesting bark textures, there’s a whole world of visual interest beyond just blooms. In this guide, we’ll explore three key categories of ornamental plant features: colorful foliage, flowering trees and shrubs, and plants with interesting bark or structure. By the end, you’ll have plenty of inspiration to transform your garden into a captivating landscape that delights in every season.
Part 1: Plants with Colorful Foliage
Who says you need flowers for color? Foliage plants can provide vibrant hues and interesting textures that last far longer than most blooms. Here are some top picks for adding a splash of color to your garden beds:
Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides)
If you want instant, dramatic color, look no further than coleus. These annuals come in a dizzying array of patterns and color combinations – from deep burgundy to lime green, often with intricate veining or speckles. They’re perfect for shady spots and containers. Try varieties like ‘Wizard Mix’ for a rainbow of options or ‘Black Dragon’ for deep, moody tones.
Heuchera (Coral Bells)
These versatile perennials have seen an explosion of new cultivars in recent years, with foliage colors ranging from deep purple to chartreuse to silver. They form tidy mounds that look great at the front of borders or in containers. ‘Obsidian’ offers nearly-black leaves, while ‘Lime Rickey’ provides a bright pop of acid green.
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
For a larger focal point, Japanese maples are hard to beat. Their delicate, lacy leaves come in shades of green, red, and gold, often changing colors dramatically with the seasons. Varieties like ‘Bloodgood’ offer deep red foliage all season, while ‘Orangeola’ starts red and fades to orange-green.
Caladium
These tropical beauties are perfect for adding a lush, exotic feel to shady areas. Their large, heart-shaped leaves come in combinations of green, pink, red, and white. ‘White Queen’ offers striking white leaves with green veins, while ‘Red Flash’ explodes with bold red and pink.
Ornamental Grasses
Don’t overlook grasses for adding color and texture. Many varieties offer interesting hues beyond basic green. Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’) provides striking red blades, while blue fescue (Festuca glauca) offers a cool, silvery-blue tone.
Tips for Using Colorful Foliage:
- Combine different leaf shapes and textures for added interest
- Use colorful foliage to brighten up shady areas where flowers struggle
- Consider how foliage colors will change throughout the seasons
- Remember that foliage color is often more intense in full sun
Part 2: Flowering Trees and Shrubs
While perennials and annuals provide bursts of color, flowering trees and shrubs form the backbone of many garden designs. These larger plants offer structure, seasonal interest, and often fragrance. Here are some showstoppers to consider:
Flowering Trees:
Dogwood (Cornus florida)
These native North American trees offer delicate, showy blooms in spring, typically in white or pink. Their horizontal branching structure is attractive even when not in bloom. The ‘Cherokee Chief’ variety offers deep pink flowers, while ‘Cloud Nine’ has especially large white blooms.
Magnolia
With their large, fragrant flowers, magnolias are true garden royalty. Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is an evergreen variety with huge white blooms, while star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) offers delicate white or pink flowers on a smaller tree.
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)
Perfect for warmer climates, crape myrtles offer long-lasting summer blooms in shades of pink, purple, red, and white. They also feature attractive bark and fall color. ‘Natchez’ is a classic white variety, while ‘Dynamite’ offers bold red flowers.
Flowering Cherry (Prunus)
Nothing says spring quite like a flowering cherry tree in full bloom. These trees offer a breathtaking display of pink or white flowers. Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis) is the variety famous in Washington D.C., while ‘Kwanzan’ offers double pink blooms.
Flowering Shrubs:
Hydrangea
These versatile shrubs offer large, showy blooms in various shapes and colors. Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) can change color based on soil pH, while panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) offer cone-shaped blooms that start white and age to pink.
Lilac (Syringa)
The heavenly fragrance of lilacs is unmistakable in spring. Traditional varieties can get quite large, but newer cultivars like the Bloomerang series offer reblooming capabilities on a more compact plant.
Rhododendron and Azalea
These classic woodland shrubs offer a riot of color in spring, with flowers in nearly every shade imaginable. They prefer acidic soil and partial shade. For a unique look, try ‘PJM’ rhododendron with its small leaves and purple flowers.
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
As the name suggests, these shrubs are magnets for butterflies. They offer long-lasting blooms in shades of purple, pink, and white. Newer varieties like the Lo & Behold series are more compact and non-invasive.
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
These tough shrubs bloom later in the summer when many other plants are fading. Their large, tropical-looking flowers come in shades of white, pink, lavender, and blue. ‘Blue Chiffon’ offers double blue flowers for a unique look.
Tips for Using Flowering Trees and Shrubs:
- Consider bloom time when planning your garden to ensure year-round interest
- Remember that many flowering trees and shrubs need pruning to maintain their shape and encourage blooming
- Use larger specimens as focal points or to create privacy screens
- Incorporate shrubs with different bloom shapes for textural contrast
Part 3: Plants with Interesting Bark or Structure
Don’t underestimate the power of plants that shine even when not in bloom. Interesting bark textures and unique growth habits can provide visual interest year-round, especially in winter when other plants are dormant.
Trees with Interesting Bark
River Birch (Betula nigra)
This native tree features bark that peels away in cinnamon-colored curls, revealing a lighter inner bark. It’s particularly striking in winter. The ‘Heritage’ cultivar offers especially exfoliating bark.
Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum)
As the name suggests, this small maple tree has bark that peels in thin, papery sheets. The cinnamon-colored bark contrasts beautifully with snow in winter.
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)
In addition to their summer flowers, many crape myrtle varieties offer exfoliating bark in shades of cinnamon, tan, and gray. The ‘Natchez’ variety is particularly prized for its bark.
Lacebark Pine (Pinus bungeana)
This unique pine tree develops patches of exfoliating bark as it ages, creating a camouflage-like pattern of green, white, and brown.
Plants with Interesting Structure
Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’)
This shrub or small tree features incredibly twisted and gnarled branches, creating a sculptural effect that’s especially noticeable in winter.
Corkscrew Willow (Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa’)
Another plant with twisted growth, this willow tree features branches that spiral and curl, creating an eye-catching silhouette.
Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’)
This dramatic evergreen features long, weeping branches covered in blue-green needles. It can be trained into various shapes for a truly unique specimen.
Dragon Lady Holly (Ilex x aquipernyi ‘Meschick’)
For a more formal look, this narrow, pyramidal holly offers deep green, spiny foliage year-round. Its tight, upright form creates strong vertical lines in the landscape.
Tips for Using Plants with Interesting Bark or Structure:
- Consider using uplighting to highlight interesting bark textures at night
- Place plants with unique structures where they can be viewed from multiple angles
- Remember that many plants with interesting bark or structure are slow-growing, so patience is key
- Use plants with strong forms to create winter interest when other plants are dormant
Bringing It All Together: Creating a Garden with Year-Round Interest
Now that we’ve explored these different ornamental plant features, the key is combining them effectively in your garden design. Here are some tips for creating a landscape that shines in every season:
Layer your plantings:
- Start with a backdrop of evergreen trees or large shrubs to provide structure and year-round greenery.
- In front of these, add deciduous trees and larger shrubs that offer seasonal interest (e.g. spring flowers, fall color).
- Fill the middle ground with medium-sized shrubs and larger perennials.
- Use smaller perennials, groundcovers, and bulbs in the foreground.
- Consider vertical layering too – use climbers on walls or trellises to add height.
Consider all seasons:
- Spring: Include early-blooming bulbs, flowering trees and shrubs.
- Summer: Focus on perennials and annuals for color, as well as plants with interesting foliage.
- Fall: Choose trees and shrubs with good autumn color, late-blooming perennials, and ornamental grasses.
- Winter: Incorporate evergreens, plants with interesting bark or structure, and those with winter berries or seedheads.
Use repetition:
- Choose a few key plants or colors to repeat throughout the garden.
- This could be a particular shrub used at intervals, or a color theme that recurs in different plants.
- Repetition helps tie different areas of the garden together visually.
- Don’t overdo it – aim for a balance between repetition and variety.
Create focal points:
- Use particularly striking or unusual plants as focal points.
- Place these strategically – at the end of a path, or visible from key viewpoints.
- Ensure focal points have enough space around them to be appreciated.
- Consider using non-plant elements as focal points too, like sculptures or water features.
Think about contrast:
- Pair plants with contrasting textures (e.g. fine-leaved plants next to broad-leaved ones).
- Use color contrasts – complementary colors can create vibrant combinations.
- Mix different growth habits – upright plants with spreading ones, for example.
- Consider seasonal contrasts too – evergreens provide a great backdrop for deciduous plants.
Don’t forget hardscaping:
- Use hardscaping to provide structure and interest when plants are dormant.
- Incorporate paths to lead the eye through the garden.
- Add seating areas to create destinations within the garden.
- Use decorative elements like ornamental gates or trellises as focal points.
Embrace change:
- Plan for how plants will grow and spread over time.
- Be prepared to move plants if they outgrow their space or aren’t thriving.
- Add or remove plants as needed to maintain the overall design.
- Consider how the garden will look in different weather conditions and at different times of day.
By incorporating plants with colorful foliage, flowering trees and shrubs, and specimens with interesting bark or structure, you can create a garden that offers beauty and interest in every season. The key is to observe your plants throughout the year, noticing how they change and interact with each other. With some planning and creativity, you can transform your outdoor space into a ever-changing work of natural art that brings joy year-round.
Remember, gardening is a journey, not a destination. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different plant combinations and learn from both your successes and failures. The most beautiful gardens are those that evolve over time, reflecting the passion and personality of the gardener. So get out there, get your hands dirty, and start creating your own ornamental oasis!