The Complete Guide to Foliage Planting

Dramatically enhance the look of your garden with a foundation of attractive foliage that complements your flowers and keeps the visual interest high through all seasons of the year. The secret is in choosing the right combinations from large-leaved perennials, ornamental grasses, hostas, hardy ferns, bamboos, rushes, and sedges, and placing and spacing them appropriately. Even with so many shapes, colors, textures to choose from, you can get spectacular results through these simple instructions. Whether you’re working with a tiny yard or a sprawling lawn with a pond or stream, find out how to choose the right foliage to bring focus to certain areas, soften the harshness of breaks between walks or patios and green spaces, and create any atmosphere, from tropical to woodland glade to desert. Fully illustrated techniques show how to purchase, plant, cultivate, and maintain dozens of different plants, whether in containers, borders, ground covers, or even pools of water. Unique drawings and sketches highlight the ways different plants look next to each other. Full-color photos of gardens give you ideas for designs like the ones landscape architects create.