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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Foliage Follow Up January 2013

This weekend the Yuccas were speaking to me.  What they were saying was unclear and when I leaned closer to try and get a better listen, they stabbed the side of  my head.  A little mystery is good in any relationship right? 
 
 
Yucca 'Walbristar' or 'Bright Star' is one of my favorites

I'm thankful that they look healthy and happy but am wondering if mine will ever get that cool pink cast that I've seen in pictures.

 
 
 Yuccas are truly lovely and sculptural plants  and this one earns the title Spanish Dagger  OUCH!  It's unfortunate that the gardener didn't vacuum those leaves out before taking these pictures.  Some people are  not very aesthetically astute.

I really tried to stay with one kind of plant for foliage follow up but then I saw this Melianthus looking quite yummy and wanted to include it if only to get away from those cruel  stunning yuccas.

Artichoke foliage glowing in the sun begged to be noticed.  O.K. there goes any hope of a theme.


This Euonymus is very nice in the winter with it's pink cast but it makes my heart sing in spring when the new yellow edged growth makes the entire bush glow with color!


Lyonothamnus floribundus which Sean Hogan calls  "...one of California's most handsome natives..."  looking  particularly so with it's red limbs and green leaves against the blue sky!
 
 This crazy Sedum palmeri looks wonderful year round!

Will this be the year when my Hydrangea quercifolia gets those gorgeous fall colors we see everywhere else?  Oh wait, it's January - Guess not.

Graceful foliage of Stachyurus salicifolia cascades over that of Cordyline 'Jurred', 'Red Fountain', or 'Festival Grass' depending where and when you saw it.  Poor thing is going to have an identity crisis!
Sloth confession # 579 - These two plants have lived in their nursery pots for two and three seasons.  One would think that the gardener would settle on a place for them and let their roots have some space.  It's so hard to find good help these days. The firm of Me, Myself, and I works for very low pay but then one gets what one pays for.
The admirable and inspiring Pam Penick at Digging is our host for this green party (Not to be confused with THE Green Party which is an entirely different thing.)   Be sure to click on over to her site to see beautiful foliage from all of the round earth's imagined corners.

18 comments:

  1. Hi, I see you haven't a bit of snow. All right!
    I love the Euonymus, it grows in my garden and now is under the snow. If I open it with my shovel I could see its evergreen leaves as yours has.

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    1. We usually don't have snow that stays for more than a day or two. You are lucky to have such a beautiful blanket of white.

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  2. Wait a minute...your Stachyurus is still in it's nursery pot and it looks THAT good? You're amazing. Oh and the Y. 'Bright Star' gives me hope for my "new" one...thank you.

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    1. I'm really good with the hose and fertilizer in the summer - not amazing, just lazy. My bright stars seem really happy and enjoy their current spot with good drainage. Killed a couple that I tried to grow in richer soil.

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  3. Love love love your yuccas! Yay bright star!!! One of mine has the pinky/red tones but the other a few feet away does not! Weird, eh?!

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    1. Do you use off color language or tell dirty jokes around the one causing it to blush or is the secret flattery? Weird plants!

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  4. Yuccas, yuccas....can't sing it enough praises! And that Stachyurus salicifolia, I want!!!

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    1. Yuccas are delightful. Stachyurus salicifolia has gorgeous foliage but I prefer the blooms of Stachyurus praecox. However S.praecox isn't much in the foliage department and is deciduous. I'll try to remember to photograph them both in bloom so you can see the difference. You should definitely get S.salicifolia if it stirs green desire!

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  5. You don't have any snow..You've found a lot of different foliage! Different forms and colors.

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    1. We've only had a trace of snow on one morning. We are lucky here to have lots of foliage in the winter.

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  6. Great foliage! Lots of interesting variations. Too bad those pesky yuccas wouldn't let you in on their secrets!

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    1. I'm thinking that the yuccas are either talking about all the weight I gained since summer or are plotting some sort of garden take over behind my back. Either way, I wish they'd at least stop taliking about it when I'm around. Sheesh, some plants are so mean.

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  7. Your foliage is looking great. 'Bright Star' is my favorite. I had 'Festival Grass' in a pot for years where it was very happy--so I don't think you need worry.

    No plant vacuum for Christmas? ;)

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    1. I've got a plant vacuum in the garage but it's been quite cold lately and (insert any number of excuses. Truth is I've just been lazy.) Glad to hear that 'Festival Grass' will be o.k. in a pot for a while longer.

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  8. I get too excited taking pictures and fail to notice the housekeeping details until I get them up on screen. Those few leaves hardly detract from the overarching beauty of it all.

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    1. You are too kind. I've never been much of a primper garden wise. The stuff gets photographed the way it is. One of the nice things about blogging is that the pictures I post sometimes embarass me into action.

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  9. I do love that creamy 'Bright Star.' It isn't so common here in Austin. I wonder if our intense sunlight burns it? Anyway, I'm glad to enjoy all your beautiful foliage, and especially the yuccas!

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    1. I now think of you whenever I see yuccas especially 'Color Guard'

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.