When choosing plants, gardeners traditionally pay considerable attention to the characteristics of their flowering. However, the perception of garden design is largely determined by the impression of the deciduous trees that form the basis of the composition. Concept decorative foliage plants can be considered conditional - after all, an experienced designer is able to emphasize the decorative effect of any foliage by successfully selecting combinations of colors, shapes and textures.
About contrasts
Contrasts inevitably attract attention and allow you to place the necessary accents, so this technique is actively used when creating compositions in open, easily visible spaces and in the busiest corners of the garden. The most striking are contrasting combinations of plants based on several characteristics at once. An example of such a composition is a group of plants consisting of both coniferous and deciduous plants with different shapes and colors of foliage: ( Pinus strobus) as background for ( Salix alba) and – holly ( Acer platanoides) and silver ( Acer sacharinum).
Traditionally, a combination of perennial plants grown primarily for the characteristics of their foliage, such as heucheras, hostas, is attractive. Here, a bright contrast is created not only by color, but also by the texture of the leaves and the combination of their shapes. However, like any spectacular accent, such compositions should be used with a sense of proportion, since their expressiveness can leave the impression of excessiveness, intrusiveness, and pretentiousness.
If you want to create a place in the garden for relaxation, tranquility, harmony and balance, soft contrasts and smooth transitions of color shades are preferable. Landscape design, built on sharp contrasts, on the contrary, charges with energy and encourages activity.
About color
The predominant foliage color is green, in all its variety of shades. And sometimes gardeners succumb to the temptation to add variety to the composition being created, filling the garden with plants with variegated foliage, leaves of yellow and purple shades. When used judiciously, plants with unusual leaf colors really add life to the garden. For example, these varieties look good together ( Physocarpus opulifolius) How Dart's Gold And Diabolo. But an excess of bright colors can lead to the opposite effect: dark purple foliage, when abundant, has a depressing effect; a lot of variegated multi-colored spots create a feeling of sloppiness and disharmony; an excess of yellow foliage evokes despondency, reminiscent of autumn.
Refined compositions in silver shades are pleasing to the eye; Seemingly ordinary greenery is also distinguished by nuances of color, allowing one to create harmonious monochrome compositions that create an atmosphere of calm and conduciveness to reflection.
When combining various decorative foliage plants in the garden, you should also take into account the seasonality of their color.. Correctly composed combinations do not lose their attractiveness at any time of the year. Some plants remain decorative until winter, decorating a fading flower garden with bright colors, such as blood-red geranium (Geranium sanguineum) or (Kochia). When you come to a plant nursery to pick up seedlings, be sure to ask what the foliage of your chosen shrubs and perennials looks like in autumn - this will help you choose the right place for them in your garden.
About size and shape
When landscaping an area, selecting combinations and composing compositions, you should take into account not only the color, but also the shape and size of the leaves. So, against the background of conifers, plants that have foliage that is similar in shape but contrasting in size always look advantageous: grayish-blue carnation ( Dianthus gratianopolitanus), dianthus pinnata ( Dianthus plumarius), (Dianthus deltoids). In its turn, ( Cerastium) and phlox subulate ( Phlox subulata) are an excellent background for coniferous plants.
A background composition balanced in leaf shape and size is important if the main emphasis is on a combination of different foliage colors. For example, combining different varieties of Thunberg barberry ( Berberis thunbergii), differing in the color of the leaves, place around them ( Sedum) with rounded leaves or ( Thymus).
About the right background
In general, the choice of background is an essential factor, since the perception of the composition as a whole depends on it. Contrasting combinations will be more expressive against the background of plants of calm, dim colors. Large-flowered species benefit from the backdrop of elegant openwork foliage - such as, for example, asparagus officinalis ( Asparagus officinalis) or pearl oysters ( Achillea ptarmica).
As background plants, you can use silver elf ( Elaeagnus argentea), Anaphalis three-veined (Anaphalis triplenervis) with their silvery foliage. A spectacular background is created by the yellow foliage of the common hop ( Humulus lupulus) cultivar Aureus.
Traditionally, a good background for most decorative compositions are those composed of plants with small foliage or coniferous species. They create a dynamic background, the only drawback of which is their fragility.
About space
Proper selection of plants allows you to visually change the space of the garden, expanding its boundaries, hiding and moving unattractive objects away from the viewer. So, with the help of a hedge of mountain ash ( Sorbaria sorbifolia), silver sucker, (Lonicera) you can disguise an unsightly fence, or you can visually remove it if you place tall perennial plants in the foreground, for example, heleniums ( Helenium), asters – New Belgian ( Aster novi-belgii) or New England ( Aster novae-angliae), goldenrods ( Solidago), cereal plants.
To visually enlarge the space, place plants with small and light foliage in the background, for example, purple willow ( Salix purpurea) or cereals, and in the foreground place hostas, tuberous begonias ( Begonia x tuberhybrida), bergenias, coleus with large and dark leaves. By composing a variety of compositions, you will very soon see that the foliage of most plants is a powerful and expressive decorative factor, using which it is easy to create a unique look for your garden.
2011 - 2015, . All rights reserved.
Each owner who decides to have indoor plants in their home pursues their own goals. Some people want to make a specific room more attractive, while others want to maintain cleaner air in their home. There are many for whom indoor plants are like little children, whom they so enjoy caring for and caring for.
However, for those who are not yet completely familiar with indoor plants, it would not hurt to get to know them better. All indoor flowers can be presented in the form of several groups:
- Decorative flowering;
- Decorative foliage;
- Succulents.
Decorative flowering indoor plants
This group is the largest of all presented. They attract attention due to the color of the flowers, the duration of flowering and life.
Quite popular among the group of decorative indoor plants are indoor flowers, grown in flowerpots, which are used by many as bouquets. The most famous among them are primroses. However, they do not please the owner for long due to their fragility. Therefore, they quickly fade and then go into a dormant state. However, if you properly care for them, their root system can remain active further, and in the fall they can be transplanted into open ground.
- Hyacinth. This plant is liked by many gardeners for its flowering duration, which lasts several weeks. They grow best where they can be provided with sunlight, moderate watering and cool conditions. You should also take into account that hyacinth gives off a persistent odor that can have a negative effect on some people.
- Crocus. These primroses stand out for their rich palette, but they are very capricious, therefore, in addition to frequent watering, they require additional lighting and fertilizing.
- Primrose. This plant can compete on equal terms with the queen of flowers - the rose - in terms of variety of color and saturation. Many gardeners often include it in their green corner, knowing how easy it is to care for and how beautiful it can be when in bloom.
- Chrysanthemums. It is not so difficult to grow autumn chrysanthemums at home. This task has been simplified due to the fact that you can purchase seeds of a wide variety of low-growing varieties in stores. The plant is compact in size, so it can decorate any windowsill. For many gardeners, this flower is one of their favorites due to its variety of colors and ease of care. Many flower lovers note the versatility of this plant, so in summer the flower pot can be kept on the balcony or terrace. If the gardener is familiar with the tricks of growing chrysanthemums, then this flower can bloom in mid-summer.
Indoor plants available today for growing at home can be presented in the form of two main groups, which differ from each other in terms of flowering. The largest representation in them are plants whose flowers open in the summer. Therefore, if you add a couple of flowerpots with winter-flowering plants to your green corner, you can enjoy greenery at any time of the year.
However, such a variety of flora representatives forces the owner to be very attentive to each plant. At the same time, it is important to remember that flower arrangements are as harmonious as possible. They must provide each other with comfortable development conditions, and also have the same requirements for temperature, watering and lighting.
Sun-loving, beautifully flowering indoor plants
These flowers, when provided with sufficient lighting, can also please the gardener with your buds.
Decorative foliage indoor plants
This group is quite numerous, and it includes not only non-flowering plants. In addition to them, it is customary to include plants that have not very attractive flowers. One of these is begonia, which today includes decorative flowering and decorative deciduous varieties.
What makes ornamental foliage plants unique is that during the dormant period the plant does not have an attractive appearance. And even if the plant does not bloom in winter, this does not mean that it can do without proper care at this time of year. Among the plants there are those that are very demanding on different growing conditions.
Depending on their appearance, plants of this type can be presented in the following groups.
Climbing
A prominent representative of this group is tradescantia. The homeland of the flower, which is easy to care for and easily reproduces, is the tropical forests of America. One of the features of Tradescantia is that it quickly increases in size. Therefore, it is not surprising that it has found wide application for decorative purposes for the design of walls and window openings. The plant looks most impressive in winter gardens and greenhouses, where it can very quickly decorate the ground with a beautiful carpet formed from bright shiny leaves.
Straight growing
This group of plants is also not ignored by flower growers, who are attracted by their original appearance.
Poinsettia
Experienced gardeners know this flower under the name “Christmas Star”. It can be explained by amazing bracts, which in appearance are very similar to stars. The main reason for the name is that this plant blooms on Christmas Eve. However, in order for the plant to show all its beauty on this day, you need to follow certain rules for caring for it. To do this, you should make sure that it is provided with long daylight hours and regular watering.
Croton
This representative of the euphorbia stands out not only for its spectacular appearance. Another feature of it is the white juice that appears at the slightest damage. Indoor specimens are rarely taller than 3 meters. Against their background, wild species, which can reach large sizes, look more impressive. Although over time the leaves of the plant acquire a different shade, this does not prevent them from remaining beautiful. Croton feels best indoors, where good lighting and a comfortable thermal regime are provided.
Begonia Bauer (tiger)
This type of begonia bears little resemblance to the original, since it has no decorative value. When the time comes for flowering, the flower stalks must be cut off, otherwise the plant will waste its vitality. During its life cycle, Bauer begonia grows quite quickly; transplants have to be carried out frequently. If desired, you can accelerate the growth of the above-ground part, for which you need to select slightly cramped containers for the roots.
Succulent houseplants
This group of indoor flowers is also quite numerous and includes, in addition to those unknown to beginning gardeners, many traditional species.
Aloe
This plant is valued not only for its decorative properties, but also for its ability to cure many diseases. Of greatest interest are the leaves and juice, which are used in folk medicine, hematology, cosmetology, and the treatment of colds. There are no special requirements regarding the growing conditions of this plant.
Crassula
Under natural conditions, the plant grows in South Africa and Madagascar. Among them there are often specimens that in the wild can grow up to several meters in height. However, before you decide to grow Crassula in the house, you need to take into account that the leaves of this plant contain arsenic. This may be unsafe for those gardeners who keep animals in the house.
Kalanchoe
This flower is known as a house doctor. It is valued by specialists for its properties as biogenic stimulants. The leaves and juice of Kalanchoe are very valuable, with which you can treat wounds, stop bleeding, and also fight infections. In addition to the above-mentioned advantages, Kalanchoe is also attractive because it is easy to care for.
Conclusion
The modern variety of indoor plants will amaze any novice gardener. Therefore, the task of choosing an indoor flower is especially difficult for them. However, here too we can give quite effective recommendations. You should not take on growing complex plants due to little experience. It is better to choose for yourself well-known varieties that have accumulated extensive experience in growing them at home. Then they will not only not cause trouble, but will also help you acquire the necessary knowledge so that after a while you can start breeding rare indoor plants.
Decorative foliage plants for the home
In this section entitled " Decorative foliage plants ", we will talk about indoor flowers with beautiful leaves, without which not a single green corner in the apartment can do. Some of them have large oval leaves, others are dissected, lobed or linear. Indoor plants can have plain green, green with different colored veins, or bright multi-colored leaves. There will be a separate article about each flower and its care. In this one you can briefly get acquainted with several of the most popular ones and see their photos.
Aglaonema 
Schefflera
In the West, this flower was called “ballerina” for its elegant crown of leaves dissected in a circle. is represented by four species, which differ in shape, size or color of the plates of its leaves.
At home, the tree can grow up to 2 meters. On a young plant, “umbrellas” have only 8 leaf blades. With age, their number increases to 16 pieces.
Sheflera is very unpretentious and resistant to various pests, which is why it is loved among gardeners.
Codeium
People call this shrub with bright, colorful carved leaves. Under good conditions it can grow up to 2 meters. The leathery leaf of croton reaches a length of up to 30 cm. Depending on the variety, the leaves can be of various shapes and colors. There are bushes with green and variegated leaves with red, yellow, and brown shades.
Zamioculcas - dollar tree
This stunningly beautiful tuberous evergreen is distinguished by fleshy leaves up to 1 meter high and shiny leathery leaf blades. 
At home, the plant grows well and can bloom. Its inflorescence is a greenish-white blanket, in the middle of which there is a light cream spadix. A peduncle is formed at the base of the leaves.
The indoor plant Zamioculcas looks very impressive in floor pots. The flower prefers spacious, bright rooms, so it is used to decorate not only apartments, but also offices and hallways of various institutions.
Yucca
The houseplant is a tree with a woody stem and pointed linear-lanceolate leaves clustered at the end of the trunk. Depending on the type, indoor plants can grow from a few centimeters to several meters.
Under favorable conditions and good care, some varieties of yucca bloom with large, bell-shaped white flowers, which are collected in multi-flowered panicles.
The most decorative representative of the genus is Yucca elephant. An adult plant has a lush crown with a diameter of up to 4.5 meters. More compact types are suitable for home use. These include Yucca aloelia and Yucca glaucosa.
Yucca tree is most suitable for decorating spacious living rooms or halls. It does not require increased attention from the grower, since it is very unpretentious.
Monstera
The tropical liana is known to many for its dissected large leaves located alternately on the stems. The leathery leaves of the monstera flower have holes and slits of different shapes. In young plants they are solid and only with age they begin to grow perforated.
An overgrown monstera plant needs support. To do this, you can buy a tube with moss at the store or build it yourself. Numerous aerial roots that have grown should not be cut off. It is recommended to spray them from time to time.
Monstera unpretentious, so it grows quickly. This must be taken into account when decorating your apartment with it. After 3-4 years, the vine can occupy a large area of a small room. Therefore, it is best suited for spacious living rooms and halls. You can find out whether you can keep a monstera at home by clicking on .
Sansevieria - pike tail
An unpretentious evergreen indoor plant is also popularly called mother-in-law's tongue, Indian sword, wolf's tail, sansevieria. There are about 60 varieties of the flower. Between themselves they vary in size, shape and color of the leaves.
The most famous type of sansevieria has sword-shaped, dense, leathery green leaves with light green longitudinal stripes. Sansevieria three-lane is distinguished by its variegated color. Its edges are framed with a yellow border.
There are dwarf varieties of piketail, which have triangular-shaped leaves. Cylindrical sansevieria have tubular leaves up to 2 cm in diameter. Each of them has a small groove in the center. From such leaves you can make various unusual compositions to decorate a room.
- This is an unpretentious and very hardy flower. For beginner gardeners, it is perfect. In addition, sansevieria has the ability to purify indoor air.
Usually plants that do not bloom are not very fancy. Particular attention should be paid to flowers with multi-colored colors and characteristic leaf structure. But each type of decorative foliage plant requires certain maintenance conditions and care. You can familiarize yourself with the rules for growing various flowers with decorative leaves from our following articles.
This section contains tips on caring for decorative foliage plants. These are perennial herbaceous indoor plants with beautiful exotic leaves, which with their shape, color and size will decorate any interior no worse than a flowering specimen. This also includes flowering species with luxurious leaves, the flowers of which are not attractive, and they are usually cut off so as not to spoil the appearance and decorativeness of the plant. An ornamental foliage plant usually looks elegant all year round - it does not have a clearly defined dormant period, like all flowering ones. But the fact that the plant is not flowering does not mean that you can care for it less. Some types of decorative foliage indoor flowers are very difficult to care for, so we recommend that you read the articles on proper care at home presented in the section.
Jun 03 2019
Polyscias is a prominent representative of the Araliceae family. The plant was brought to us from the rainforests of tropical Asia. It is an evergreen tree with decorative leaves, for which its various varieties are valued. In our climate, polyscias can only be grown as a houseplant. Caring for polyscias at home can be fraught with some difficulties, but in the article...
May 26 2019
Indoor bamboo has nothing in common with the wild Asian herbaceous plant that we are used to hearing about. They are similar to each other only in appearance. In fact, indoor bamboo is an evergreen miniature plant called Dracaena Sanderiana. People call it lucky bamboo or dragon tree. The plant is popular among gardeners...
This message has no labels
May 17 2019
Peperomia is unpretentious and perfectly adapted to the atmosphere of our apartments, so even novice gardeners can grow it. All you need is to choose the type to suit your taste, guided by our article Classification of types of peperomia, and also study the rules for caring for it at home given below. Lighting and location Peperomia loves good lighting, but it needs...
This message has no labels
May 09 2019
Peperomia is a wonderful indoor plant that is loved by many gardeners for its beauty, unpretentiousness and versatility. This evergreen tropical flower not only pleases the eye with its spectacular appearance, but also cleanses the indoor air of toxins and harmful impurities. There are more than a thousand types of peperomia, and we have prepared for you a selection of the most popular ones. Description of Peperomia Peperomia...
This message has no labels
Feb 10 2019
Ficus benjamina is a houseplant that is most often used to decorate the interior and give it a spectacular look. Even a single plant with its thick, bright green crown refreshes the air in the room and caresses the eyes of those around with its beauty. And if your ficus also has an unusual crown or a trunk intertwined in the form of an ornament, then everyone will envy you...
Each representative of the magical kingdom of Flora has its own flavor. Some amaze with stunning flowers, others with fruits, and decorative deciduous indoor plants delight the eye with the deep green of their leaves, creating a feeling of calm, balance and complete harmony in the home and soul.
At the same time, decorative deciduous indoor plants are given to breeders simply for imagination and creativity: professional flower growers from all over the world are constantly breeding new varieties, creating even more original shapes and colors of foliage. And although such plants bloom quite rarely and modestly, they still remain a magnet for admiring glances: this is proof of the good taste of the owner of the room. By the way, thanks to their versatility, the most beautiful decorative foliage indoor plants fit perfectly into any environment - a cozy home, a formal office, or a romantic restaurant. Even from the photo you can see how elegant they are.
Variety of decorative foliage flowers
At the same time, the catalog of decorative deciduous indoor plants on the website amazes the imagination with its completeness: they are all so different! Asparagus, for example, has pinnate leaves, while croton leaves are perfectly smooth and whole. The same fat plant (“money tree”) pleases us with round, neat miniature leaves, and monstera leaves sometimes reach a width of 60 cm! “Green palms” with veins and patterns look very interesting - for example, like those of Aglaonema stripes.
