Adding Foliage Texture to Container Displays

The versatility of foliage often gets overlooked by home gardeners, but by thinking about what to plant in containers to complement your flowers, there are endless ways to enhance your garden's aesthetic appeal.

There's often a lot of focus on colour, and rightly so, but flowers aren't the only way to add visual interest to a planting scheme. By thinking about different types of foliage you can add height, texture, movement, and all-year-round greenery - here are a few thoughts and ideas on taking your container displays to the next level.

The swish of ornamental grasses

Nature's poetry in motion, ornamental grasses add movement, texture, height, and a touch of ethereal beauty to large container displays. There are so many to choose from, but a perennial variety such as elegant Feather Reed Grass will provide year-round interest, requires little maintenance, and looks especially fabulous against the rustic backdrop of handmade terracotta.

Unleash the drama

To make a bold statement, introduce plants with dramatic foliage that demand attention. As just one example, the rich, deep hues of Heuchera 'Palace Purple' provide a lovely contrast to greenery, and, being semi-evergreen, they look great for most of the year - an excellent plant for container displays and the front of borders to create a captivating focal point in your garden.

Create texture with Evergreen shrubs

Evergreen shrubs not only provide year-round interest, but also offer a whole host of leaf shapes, colours, and textures. Pittosporum Tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb' with its small dark purple folliage will add dynamic texture, giving any container display depth and visual intrigue - especially when paired with ornamental grasses..

Explore the beauty of Variegated foliage

Variegated foliage plants bring a touch of whimsy and playfulness to container displays with their vibrant tapestry of leaves. Consider incorporating the elegant silver and green patterning of Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver'. This eyecatching plant loves the shade, so is perfect for places that don't get much sun. It also spreads really easily in the ground, but makes for a really beautiful accompaniment in bigger container displays. It's even incredibly popular with wildlife, what's not to love?

Delight with climbing vines

Extend your container displays vertically by including climbing vines that spoll over the edges, adding a cascading effect. For a delicate touch, choose the dainty foliage of Clematis 'Armandii' or the fragrant blooms of Star Jasmine. These climbers will envelop your pots, softening the edges and adding a lovely touch to your garden oasis.

Whatever you like to see in your garden, unleash your creativity and experiment with different combinations to transform your garden into a lush and captivating space.

How can we help?

If you would like terracotta container displays in your garden but aren't sure where to start, we can help advice on sizes and placement, so please do get in touch. Happy planting!