Suggestions for plants with large, interesting leaves ...

And what I couldn't get in the title...leaves that take full sun. My hillside garden is really filling in this year but it is lacking in variety when it comes to foliage. There are lots of spikey things like red yucca, irises and daffodils, lots of small-leaved things like achillea blue mist, larkspur, verbena, etc. but the only things I have with large interesting leaves are a couple of cardoons, three artichokes and a few red chards. I'm looking for small shrubs or perennials that have larger leaves and preferably some color variations to fill in amongst the flowers. They have to take full sun and need to be deer resistant. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Linda

Pic is from last year

I don't know that I can be of much help. Most of my full sun stuff has small leaves too, except for the roses. Oh, yellow bells or esperenza has bigger leaves and wonderful yellow bell shaped flowers. Very tough plant. Thrives on heat and sun.

Linda you might try Frostweed also, but I don,t know about deer resistant.
Your garden looks great and really shaping up, also Jimsonweed, I don't think the deer would eat those.
Josephine.

IF you just wanted big leaves I would suggest castor beans but the plant gets really big.

Hi Sugarfoot. Not sure if you have water on that hill or not but Cannas come in size 2 ft up to 6+ and would give you the large leaves and great flowers of all size,shape and color. They do need some water however all mine have done well in the drought we have had without anymore than the norm. We have herds of deer and I have never seen them nibble. There is a Co-op going now for Cannas at .75 cents each. Maybe try a few and see how it works out. Your soil looks just like mine as can ya say sand? Well I am just up the Brazos river from you so you do have my soil. LOL. Lemon grass grows well and would look good. It does get large though. I love it. Smells great and is suppose to repel skeeters. As for shrubs try Nandinas. Great color during the winter and spring. The only shrub I have found that my goats dont eat so I think we are safe for Bambi. They come in all sizes. I think some tall daylilies would look great also. Come check out the Canna Co-op and see what you think.

Linda here is a list of deer resistant plants, maybe this will help,
http://www.npsot.org/plant_lists/deer_resistant.html
Josephine.

Thanks for the input everyone. I have an esperanza with orange flowers that I didn't mention, Silver. It was beautiful last year but is showing no signs of life yet. Don't know if that is normal. Josephine, I have the frostweed you gave me down by the pond and in the tree garden, but it would probably be good to move some up to the hill. Also have lots of jimsonweed down by the pond and on the border of the cactus garden, but I think it is too sprawling for the hill. The castor been is an interesting idea, Bloomlover. I like the leaf and tall would be fine, but how much do they spread in width? DH isn't fond of cannas, Weedlady, because the few that we've planted haven't done particularly well. Maybe we'll have to try again. I was disappointed that some that I bought at Walmart weren't the same color as the pic on the packagel I'll have to check out the co-op. I would love some daylilies, but so far Bambi thinks that I'm planting them just for him. Again, thanks for the ideas. They are all starting to germinate in my mind...;-)

Sugarfoot, my esperanza is growing yet either. They start very late. I thought mine was dead the first spring I had it in the ground.

I don't see anything tall and willowy... I have zebra grass that grows well in the heat and haven't had the deer here eat it yet... and they demolished my onions and garlic this winter.

Also White Prickly Popies might be safe from the deer.

jimsomweed will NOT transplant well. But starting from seed from an old plant works.