When creating a garden, you have to choose between simultaneous masses of flowers or a lesser but long-lasting display. that's because most plants bloom for a limited period, then quit. Most gardeners start ou with a passion for flowers and think alomost solely in terms of their color, size, fragrance, and season. Catalogues, magazines, and books encourage this way of thinking by overwhelmingly emphasizing flowers in their photos and write-sups. __43__. Healthy leaves in a range of colors, shapes, textures, and sizes can produce a garden that always looks good, whether or not anything is in bloom. Colorful pods, berries,buds, or barks are assets, too.