Variegated Outdoor Plants

Q: Do variegated outdoor plants need sun or shade?

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Q: Which variegated plants are evergreen?

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Q: Why do variegated leaves sometimes turn plain green?

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Q: Are variegated outdoor plants hardy in the UK?

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Variegated outdoor plants bring pattern to the garden with no flowers needed. Leaves splashed with cream, gold or white light up a shady border and hold their interest right through the season.

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Variegated Martin's Spurge

Euphorbia x martini 'Ascot Rainbow'

£7.99

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Coleus 'Main Street Spacecake' (Painted Nettle)

Coleus scutellarioides 'Main Street Spacecake'

£8.99

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Variegated Kiwi Vine

Actinidia kolomikta

£18.99

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Growing variegated outdoor plants

Variegation is the pale patterning on a leaf where parts of it carry less green. Outdoors it does a job flowers cannot, lifting a dull corner and breaking up a wall of plain green for months rather than a brief flowering spell. These are hardy garden plants, from variegated shrubs to evergreen ground cover, not the tender houseplants the word often brings to mind.

Cream and white markings brighten dark corners and cool a scheme, while gold variegation adds warmth like a splash of sunshine. Many variegated plants prefer a little shade in the garden, since strong midday sun can scorch the paler parts of the leaf, though some take full sun happily. The evergreen kinds hold their pattern through winter and give the border structure when little else is going on.

All grown for UK gardens and sent out well rooted, ready for borders or pots.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do variegated outdoor plants need sun or shade?

It depends on the plant. Many prefer light or dappled shade in the garden because harsh sun can scorch the pale parts of the leaf, but some take full sun well. The aspect is listed on each plant page.

Which variegated plants are evergreen?

Several here hold their leaves and their pattern right through winter, which makes them useful for year-round structure in a border. The individual plant pages say which are evergreen and which die back.

Why do variegated leaves sometimes turn plain green?

A variegated plant can throw out a fully green shoot, which usually grows more strongly than the rest. Cut those shoots back to the base as soon as you see them and the plant keeps its variegation.

Are variegated outdoor plants hardy in the UK?

The ones here are chosen for UK gardens rather than as houseplants. Hardiness still varies by plant, so check the rating on each page if your garden is cold or exposed.