lovely leaves

Flowers are usually the main attraction where plants are concerned, but leaves are really even more important.  You can count on flowers to provide the razzle dazzle for a few weeks at most, but leaves are there for the whole season, and they add their own charm.

With this geranium, the orange flowers are not even noticed.
It's all about those leaves in white, maroon, red, and green.

The feathery texture of these ostrich ferns are a great contrast with  the more solid  hosta

Variagated with silver, this lamium is stunning even without the purple flowers

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I nursed this Blackie sweet potato vine through the winter, and it is a  great addition to a planter.

Leaves from the purple smoke bush are a great contrast with the creeping Jenny and the wild strawberries.

This rose is old - I brought it with me from Ontario 18 years ago.  It always seemed healthy until this year.  The leaves look sickly, like something is sucking out their insides.
But within a few days, this plant was covered with pink flowers, so I guess it's ok.