Plant foliage brings drama and structure to the garden with color, shape, and texture all its own. Bright, cheerful flowers may have beauty-pageant appeal that gets noticed by passers-by, but where would all those pretty floral faces be without the stalwart presence of foliage? Every garden benefits from an inspired selection of plants chosen for the beauty of their leaves, and the harmony their presence brings to the entire landscape.

Organized by color and texture, each chapter in Nancy Ondra’s eye-opening new guide illustrates the features and requirements of dozens of plants, all chosen for the unique appeal of their leaves. Colors range from brilliant chartreuse to stunning silver to dusky, moody maroon. Surfaces can be rough or smooth, velvety or prickly, and edges can be scalloped, smooth, or saw-toothed.

With the stunning range of color and texture represented in Rob Cardillo’s rich photography, it’s easy to see how much season-long interest foliage can add to a garden. In addition to identifying and discussing beautiful plant possibilities, Ondra draws on her many years of gardening experience to present vivid plant combinations that work together to enhance and extend garden color. Knowing how and where to use foliage to complement flowers and grasses is as important as understanding the plants themselves.

Flowers come and go, weather can kill blooms prematurely or prevent them from ever appearing, but sturdy, reliable foliage can be the gardener’s salvation, year after year.

Winner of the 2008 American Horticultural Society Book Award