• Foliage plants add attractive plantings to gardens.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  A large variety of foliage plants are available, from ornamental grasses to tropical plants. Foliage plants may flower for short periods, but they are planted mainly for their foliage, which in some instances, like evergreens, lasts year-round. The leaf shapes may be rounded, heart-shaped or pointed and colors range from greens and blues to yellows and reds. Textures can be velvety, smooth or fuzzy. Foliage plants, because of their variety in shapes, sizes, color and textures, add interest and contrast to a garden.
  
  

Hostas

• A blue-green hostahosta image by cs83 from Fotolia.com
  
  Hostas, the primary foliage plant for shady gardens, are perennials and available in numerous hybrids and thousands of cultivars. They range from 6 inches to 3 feet in height. The names of some of the hostas are Ginko Craig, with green, spiked leaves edged with white; Blue Cader, with heart-shaped leaves and blue-gray foliage; and Hyacinthina, a medium-sized plant that forms a gray-green mound.
  
  

Ferns

• Ferms will gradually fill empty spaces in gardens.jurassic ferns image by Robert Kelly from Fotolia.com
  
  Ferns include a wide variety of perennial foliage plants that are either deciduous (become dormant in winter) or evergreen (bloom year-round). They like shade or partial shade and are usually vase-shaped, with leaves arching outward. They range in height from 6 inches to 15 feet. The names of some of the numerous varieties are Holly Fern, with dark-green leaves; Ostrich Fern, which grows to 5 feet, looks great in spring but, before fall, turns brownish; and Interrupted Fern, white in spring, green in summer and gold in fall.
  
  

Yucca

• One of the many yucca varieties.yucca image by Christophe Fouquin from Fotolia.com
  
  Yucca is the name of foliage plants that are considered architectural, that is, that they have a structural or geometric shape, forming attractive and interesting contrasts to flowers. Among the names of many yuccas are Adam's Needle, an evergreen woody perennial with long, sword-like foliage that may grow to 6 feet; Bright Edge, with blue-green leaves edged with yellow and off-white flowers in summer; and Curved Leaf, a mound-forming evergreen, with pointed, spiked leaves.
  
  

Coleus

• The vibrant colors of coleus.coleus image by Keith Pinto from Fotolia.com
  
  Some of the foliage plants named coleus are perennials; others are annuals. They are available in many eye-catching colors. Scarlet Wizard is the name of one such foliage plant. It has a red center and yellow edges. Klondike is another, with yellow-chartreuse margins and a rust-colored center. A third is Orange King, with glowing orange-yellow foliage.
  
  

Sargent's Weeping Hemlock

• Sargent's Weeping Hemlock is a mounding evergreen shrub with thick, arching branches. In 10 years, it will grow to 5 feet in height, with an 8-foot width. It has small, fine-textured needles that contrast well with larger leaves.
  
  

Sea Kale

• The foliage plant sea kale grows to a height of 20 inches and a spread of 24 inches. It is a blue-green perennial with unique leaves. The edges are curved, giving them a slightly scalloped look. Early in summer, small white flowers bloom, arching over the plant. It is a perfect foliage plant for a sunny, seaside garden.
  
  

Dwarf Hinoki Cypress

• A dramatic evergreen with orange-red shoots, the Dwarf Hinoki Cypress has twisting leaves and branches. It slowly grows to a height of 6 feet and a width of 4 to 5 feet. Dwarf Hinoki Cypress is an eye-catching plant in a winter garden.