This post may contain affiliate links.
Want to keep your garden looking fabulous all year round? The trick is picking plants that shine when they’re not in bloom. From colorful foliage to interesting textures, these plants will keep your garden looking lively and full of character, no matter the season! Here’s a list of 14 flowering beauties that look stunning even when taking a break from showing off their blooms.
1. Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.)
Coral bells are a delightful perennial plant that forms dense foliage in shades of purple, red, and bright green. The colorful patterned leaves look beautiful long after the bell-shaped blooms have finished, and this plant is a great ground cover option for woodland and rock gardens.
2. Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantine)
Lamb’s ear is a low-growing plant that forms a soft, spreading mat of fuzzy, silver-gray leaves topped with delicate pink or purple flowers. Once well established, it copes well in full sun and is moderately drought-tolerant.
3. Thyme (Thymus spp.)
The joy of many common garden herbs is that they provide all-year-round interest even when not in flower, and thyme is no exception. Thyme is widely available in different cultivars that can be grouped to form an evergreen mat of tiny leaves topped with dainty flowers. It features shimmering cream-edged leaves and a fresh, citrus aroma.
4. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ (Sedum ‘Herbstfreude’)
Sedums are great for providing contrasting colors and shapes even when the flowering period is over. ‘Autumn Joy’ produces large, flat clusters of pink to red flowers on upright stems that mature to bronze. The succulent, green foliage turns reddish in the fall, and its structural form remains striking even after the flowers have gone.
5. Lenten Rose (Helleborus ×hybridus)
The Lenten rose is a robust, evergreen perennial plant with dense mounds of large, leathery leaves. This low-maintenance plant produces flowers in shades ranging from white and pink to deep purple, and even when not in bloom, the foliage remains a key feature in the garden.
6. Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sage is valued for its aromatic, gray-green leaves, which provide a lovely, textured backdrop in the garden. In late spring, the plant produces beautiful spikes of purple or blue flowers, but the foliage remains the main attraction year round.
17 Companion Plants to Grow Next to Sage for Healthier, Larger Crops
7. Hosta (Hosta spp.)
Hosta is a popular plant in ornamental gardens. It is grown for its broad, heart-shaped leaves, which vary in color from deep greens to blues and gold. These shade-loving plants have a lush, clumping habit that provides texture and color even when the plant is not blooming.
8. Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Another popular addition to the herb garden, oregano features aromatic, gray-green leaves that form a low-growing, spreading mound topped with small pink or white flowers. This low-maintenance herb creates excellent ground cover in ornamental borders and container gardens.
12 Herb Plants to Grow in Water
9. Big Blue Lilyturf (Liriope muscari)
Big blue lilyturf forms clumps of grass-like foliage topped with small, lavender flower spikes that resemble grape hyacinths. The plant’s glossy, dark green leaves reach 12-18 inches in height and provide year-round interest in the ornamental garden, making it a hardy ground cover that remains attractive even when not in bloom.
10. ‘Huskers Red’ Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’)
‘Huskers Red’ beardtongue is a stunning addition to flower borders. Its striking deep red foliage and stems provide year-round color in the garden. This plant grows to 8-24 inches tall with a similar spread, and the dark leaves dramatically contrast the bell-like pink or white flowers.
11. False Forget-Me-Not (Brunnera macrophylla)
With its dense clumps of heart-shaped leaves, false forget-me-not creates an attractive textured backdrop throughout the year. In the spring, this low-maintenance perennial puts on a showy display of bright blue flowers that resemble true forget-me-nots, hence the name.
18 Brilliant Blue Perennials to Add Splashes of Color to Your Garden
12. Begonia (Begonia spp.)
Begonia plants boast striking, asymmetrical foliage in various colors and patterns, including green, bronze, red, and silver. These popular shade-loving plants produce clusters of small, vibrant flowers in shades of pink, red, white, or yellow, but their primary appeal is their lush, decorative foliage, which remains attractive even when the plant is not in bloom.
13. Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.)
Crape Myrtle creates a stunning backdrop in ornamental flower gardens. Its lush green leaves turn vibrant shades of orange, red, and yellow in the fall. This taller shrub produces vibrant, long-lasting blooms in various colors, including pink, red, white, and purple. During the winter, the top layer of bark peels away to reveal cinnamon colors, adding a splash of warmth through the cooler months.
14. Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus)
Persian Shield is prized for its striking, iridescent foliage that shimmers with shades of purple, green, and silver. This ensures that this plant remains a showstopper in the garden even when it is not flowering. This small, bushy plant thrives in warmer climates and produces violet-blue flowers atop the lance-shaped leaves in late spring.
17 Colorful Plants to Grow for Fresh Flower Arrangements
For those looking to have a continuous supply of fresh flowers for stunning arrangements, consider planting these 24 colorful varieties. They will thrive in your garden and, in some cases, provide beautiful blooms year after year.
17 Colorful Plants to Grow for Fresh Flower Arrangements
19 Stunning Red Flowers to Add Bold Color to Your Garden
Adding red flowers to your garden introduces vibrant pops of color, creating a warm and lively atmosphere. Here’s a list of 19 varieties to brighten your garden, bringing in the perfect touch of spring and summer cheer.
19 Stunning Red Flowers to Add Bold Color to Your Garden
Creative Ways to Redecorate Your Home on a Budget
Redecorating your home can bring new energy and freshness to your living space. But when budgets are tight, creativity becomes your best tool. There are many innovative and cost-effective ways to redecorate your home on a budget, with resources like multi-niche platforms offering vast ideas and inspiration to kickstart your project.
Creative Ways to Redecorate Your Home on a Budget
Kate Chalmers
Kate is a passionate gardener who has a keen interest in all things related to homesteading and sustainability. She resides in Portugal with her husband and menagerie of animals and has over 15 years of experience in the UK veterinary industry. In 2020, Kate and her husband took on a dilapidated Portuguese house and abandoned olive grove, turning it into an abundant food forest and home for nature.
Life on the homestead is never the same from one day to the next, and Kate has mastered many skills that she is keen to pass on to anyone with an interest in becoming more self-sufficient. Kate believes that living a sustainable lifestyle is the key to happiness and fulfillment and that everyone can make simple changes that connect us back to nature and reduce our impact on the planet.
