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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, July 16, 2014

Foliage Follow Up July 2014

On the day after Bloom Day each month, Pam Penick hosts foliage follow up to help us remember the importance of foliage in our gardens.   Here's what caught my eye today.

Arenaria tetraquetra  is that cute foliage or what?


Brugmansia 'Snowbank'


Brugmansia 'Miner's Claim'

Rhododendron 'Everred'  I'm looking forward to someday seeing this form a nice little round bush of gorgeous dark foliage!

Coleus provide such a nice splash of color!  If only they were evergreen...

 
I admired Begonia 'Gene Daniels' at Annie's Annuals last year but didn't bring one home.  Imagine how happy I was to find this one at Hortlandia this spring!

NOID hosta echoes the colors of Hydrangea 'Lemon Wave' growing in a carpet of Oxalis oregano
 
 Love the leaf shape of this x syneilesis (maybe between palmata and aconitifolia.)

A fun foliage combination.  Wouldn't it be nice if  you could tell where one plant ends and another begins? 

Manihot grahamii died during the cold weather in the only slightly heated glass room.  If I were a better gardener I would have disposed of the thing but since sloth is my middle name, the pot of dirt lingered and started growing.  Now that the heat of summer has arrived, this thing will take off like nobody's business.  Time to break out the fish fertilizer!
 
 
Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web' glows in a shady spot. 

Dew and morning sun gilded the Cotinus.  Someone really should remove those dead branches - tomorrow.

A new Soleirolia soleirolii (A.K.A. Baby's Tears) coiffure for this guy.  He needs a name.  Do you have any ideas?  Harry?  Jerome?  Thad? Stone? Rocky?

Babies should NOT run with scissors; it leads to baby's tears!

 New leaves unfurling on Sonchus canariensis.  Neat, an eight foot tall dandelion.  Since it's not hardy here, it gets dragged inside during the coldest part of winter.  You just know that somewhere on the Canary Islands, they're laughing at us!
 
I hope you're enjoying your summer foliage as much as I am mine!  Click on over to Digging to see terrific foliage from gardens hither and yon!
 


31 comments:

  1. Some gorgeous summer foliage ! I've just snipped off some dead branches from my ' Grace' she looks so much happier .

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    1. We're so lucky to live in this temperate climate where so much foliage is possible to enjoy! I'd better follow your fine example and give my smoke bush a trim!

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  2. The foliage on those two variegated Brugs is really lovely! And I had to chuckle at your scissors and baby head picture. You know I adore a garden where you can't tell where one plant ends and the next begins. I (and Mother Nature) both abhor bare soil, we are compelled to fill it. You're better off filling it with plants than weeds.

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    1. Glad that you enjoyed the baby head! I also don't like to see soil. (obviously)

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  3. I didn't even know there were Brugmansia with variegated leaves!

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    1. Ain't it grand? Brugmansias have those gorgeous flowers but the foliage is just o.k. These variegated ones make the foliage exciting too!

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  4. That Spider Web fatsia might be the fling's signature plant for me. Loved seeing it in the gardens...and you too!

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    1. It's a great plant! So glad that we got to spend some time together at the fling!

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  5. Love the foliage, Peter - especially the fatsia! So nice to have met you at the Fling!

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    1. Thank you and thanks so much for opening your lovely garden for us; seeing it and meeting you were delightful!

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  6. Oh, you ARE having fun, aren't you, Peter? How about Einstein for the head planter. It looks like crazy Einstein hair, or you could imagine the ideas puffing up out of his brain.

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    1. I do like to play in the garden! Einstein is a great name for him!

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  7. Splendid foliage collection..jealous of your Manihot !

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    1. Thanks! I think Manihot would be very happy in your garden!

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  8. Great blog topic. It's only once the blooms fade away that we realize, oh, yeah, nice foliage is important :) You've given us lots of choices.

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    1. Flowers are fleeting but foliage is forever (well some of it is.)

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  9. With Brugmansia 'Snowbank' and Hydrangea 'Lemon Wave', and after visiting your garden, I can see how you could pass on that variegated dove tree at Windcliff. The Brugmansia and Hydrangea fit much more easily. Although, imagine having a canopy of variegated dove tree echoed by variegated hydrangea and brugmansia below... Huh, I may have to use that someday.

    Great foliage!

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    1. I still may grab one of those when I visit Windcliff next time. Maybe it could fit in one of the parking strips. Love your foliage echo idea!

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  10. The plant you nearly killed looks like a big green snowflake. Very cool! I'm adding more variegated foliage to my garden but since it's hard to find stuff that likes dry shade, it's been slow going. I find this whole "dry shade" thing a big pain in the butt! I may need those scissors...

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    1. Don't do it! Rusty scissors are not the answer. Carbon monoxide is much tidier. Or you could get some drip hoses when they go on sale at the end of the season and give your dry shade some moisture. So many choices. It was great to meet and get to know you in Portland!

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  11. What a fantastic selection of beautiful foliage. My definite favourite is Fatsia Spiders Web, such beautiful leaves, yes, I envy you that plant!

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    1. Fatsia Spiders Web is a fabulous plant! If you see it in a nursery there, snap it up!

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  12. It's hard to imagine the actual foliage looking more beautiful than your photos! Gee Whiz you're good! The Stone Head was fascinating. It's just too early to get my brain working to come up with a name (usually I enjoy rising to those kinds of challenges......). Any of your suggestions would work.

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    1. Thank you Rebecca! I feel blessed to have landed in this part of the country where so much of this foliage thrives!

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  13. That syneilesis leaf is fabulous and why would you ever what to see where one plant ends and the other begins? Mash it up baby!!! And the scissors, oh the scissors...

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    1. Got that syneilesis at Hortlandia - sigh. What a great sale! As you know, I do mash it up, perhaps a little too much by planting things way to close to each other. The weaker plants die eventually but that's really not the desired outcome!

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  14. Let's hear it for sloth! The Manihot would surely agree. Your guy looks like a 'Bruno' to me...don't ask why.

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