Foliage is destined to play a key role in the gardens of the future as gardeners increasingly recognise the astonishing repertoire that foliage offers in terms of shapes, textures and colours, from the dramatic impact of large leaved exotics to the subtle sensuality of bamboos and grasses. Here, David Joyce analyzes the characteristics of leaves, shows why foliage is so valuable ornamentally and looks at the way they are carried on the plant and discusses their contribution to the overall effect of the garden. The book also features a special selection of outstanding foliage plants, cross-referenced with earlier chapters.