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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.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Foliage Follow-Up June 2013

Each month on the day after Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, Pam Penick hosts Foliage Follow-Up to remind us of the importance of foliage in our gardens every day of the year!  Click on over to her blog to see foliage from gardens all over the world!

Some bloggers organize their entries so nicely around a certain kind of plant but as usual, my entry is as random as my walk around the garden to observe foliage. 

Do you suppose that a bit of cutting back might be in order?  Don't get me wrong, it's fun to live in a jungle but it's also nice to have paths.

I'm a big fan of coleus.  



 What could make the Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' and Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' combination even more fun?  Throw in a pinky red acer palmatum.

Japanese maples are one of my favorite foliage plants. (Along with just about every other plant with leaves)

Farfugium japonicum 'Aureomaculatum' sharing a pot with some Meconopsis betonicifolia and some Cryptanthus outside on their summer vacation.


The strength of David's gaze keeps the Bishop's weed in check.  It's arduous work which is why his brain is exploding.

 A tillandsia enjoying her summer escape from the house. 

The Danger Gardenette has almost no flowers at all.  (Ignore the Begonia boliviensis in the elevated pot.)

What foliage has caught your eye in your garden this month?  Why not join in the fun of Foliage Follow-Up?  Thanks again Pam for hosting the party!

37 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you for putting a positive spin on overgrown and neglected!

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  2. Obviously you have no reptiles in your garden. I slash wide, wide paths not only in case a snake meanders by but to have room to give the skinks who like to rustle in the underbrush and pretend they're snakes just to scare me a wide berth.

    Your foliage is always awesome. I remember when Mama got Bishop's weed. Withering glances failed to kill it.

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    1. The only reptiles I have in my garden are the frogs that I put in the pond. They hang our around the edges of the pond and hop in if I get close.

      My bishop's weed is controlled by the deep dry shade and roots of a bamboo grove on two sides and paths on the other two.

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  3. I'm sorry to say it, but I really think David's gaze is falling down on the job. Nothing can keep bishop's weed in check. My Farfugium aureomaculatum is full of slug holes. The Danger Gardenette looks really lovely.

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    1. I'll have to see if David's death ray gaze needs new batteries. I've been working at keeping the slugs at bay although I have a hosta that has Swiss cheese leaves. GRRR!

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  4. Your garden tours are so much fun. I'm a coleus fan too. There are so many new ones and even a few that can take the heat.

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    1. They are such colorful plants! Good to know that there are some that tolerate heat so that more people can enjoy them!

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  5. Don't cut back back the foliage, not yet anyway as it looks lovely and jungly! Danger Gardenette is charming too! Fab selection and you have some very nice planting combinations.

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    1. Oh I won't cut much, just the things that hit me in the face when I walk down the path. Thanks for the kind words.

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  6. I *swoon* over the DG-ette...you've got so many fab plants!

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    1. Loree, you've created a monster! A wonderful, beautiful agave-loving monster.

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    2. You're right Heather! I believe there are some agaves in your collection as well! Careful, you live closer to DG so her powers are even stronger there. You may find yourself surrounded by spiky plants!

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  7. Your garden is an eye candy. Bishop's weed scares me. I fell in love with it's variegated happy look but found out, just in time, that it will make me cry at the end. The Gardenette turned out great. I always fancied coleus and they always perish in my care. How do you do it?

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    1. It's quirky but it makes me happy. Bishop's weed is scary. Once you have it it's very difficult to eradicate. The only way I've had good luck with coleus is to buy large ones and leave them in their pots. Often I plop them on top of places where spring bulbs have left empty spaces. Feed and water them and they're great until frost. I have less luck planting them in the ground.

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    2. I'm always late to the party! (My clematis just started blooming and I can't be sidetracked by foliage right now--except for yours which is stunning.)

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    3. Ooh! A clematis in bloom is such a beautiful thing! There's a reason they call them the queen of vines!

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  8. Lush and exuberant! Lots of great foliage. The lighting in the Danger Gardenette makes it look like an old photo or even a painting. A veritable smorgasbord of plants!

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    1. You're far too kind! The lighting is courtesy of one of the vintage settings in picasa editing.

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  9. Do you issue machetes with your garden tours?
    That's my kind of jungle.

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    1. My garden tours are usually BYOM but perhaps I need to start a collection!

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  10. Leaves always look happy in the PNW!

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  11. Summer is jungle time, so I say revel in it. My favorite image of the bunch is David's brain exploding. Those are good ideas percolating in there!

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    1. Looks and brains too, that David got everything! All winter, I dream of the heavily leaved jungle encroaching on everything but by fall, I'm ready for winter's tidying up. Works well that way.

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  12. I like your jungle! even with no paths :)

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  13. You have so much interesting foliage, all contrasting with each other. I have to clip back when paths get blocked, at least then I don't get wet leg syndrome when it's been raining!

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    1. Funny you should say that! I came in from hand watering some plants in pots and had to change pants because the legs were so wet. Perhaps it's time.

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  14. Beautiful array of leaf colors! I like over grown : )

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  15. Peter, I'm waiting for you to have an NPA Open Garden to enjoy your garden in person! As usual, I am impressed with the variety of plants! I don't see any ho-hum foliage!

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    1. You don't have to wait for an NPA Open Garden, you're more than welcome to come visit my garden sometime! Email me and we'll set up a time.

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  16. Fabulous. I just dug up all my Black Mondo grass because I couldn't get it to look right. I never thought of mingling it with golden creepy Jenny. Brilliant. Your garden looks fabulous.

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    1. I stole that combination idea from Heronswood. Black Mondo grass also looks great with ajugas, wooly thyme, lots of low ground covers.

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  17. Lots of pretty foliage, but I am captivated by David's head exploding as he tries to keep the Bishop's weed in check...!

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    1. Trying to keep Bishops weed under control will do that to a person!

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