The focus on flowers during the spring and summer months can relegate foliage to the role of a bit player, at least when it comes to nursery shopping. However, even if colors are carefully coordinated, buying too many flowering plants can create a sense of chaos in the garden, as I've learned from personal experience. Now that I've had a larger garden to play in for 2 years, I think I've finally curbed my flower fixation. When I plan revisions to a planting bed, I'm paying more attention to foliage than I did in the past. I can't say that I've done an 180 degree turn but I think I can claim to be a recovering flower fanatic.
Since the beginning of this year, I've added several new foliage plants to the garden, including:
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| Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', the 3rd added to my back border |
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| Ajuga reptans 'Catlin's Giant', added around the flagstone pathway in the side yard (Sure, it flowers too, but I grow it mainly for the textured, purple-infused foliage) |
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| 'Florida Sun Jade' coleus (Solenostemon scutellariodes), currently the star attraction in a pot also containing a Japanese maple and a fuchsia |
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| Coprosma repens 'Plum Hussey' and peppermint-scented Pelargonium tomentosum, merging together prettily in the side yard |
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| 3 Hypericum x moserianum 'Tricolor', slowly spreading in my back border |
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| Strobilanthus dyeranus (aka Persian Shield), used to replace flowering plants in 2 large pots |
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| Stipa tenuissima (Mexican feather grass), added to the 3 placed in the back border last year |
I added Rumex to the vegetable garden mainly to add foliage interest to a bed otherwise dominated by rather common vegetables:
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| Rumex 'Raspberry Dressing' |
I also recently also picked up an interesting Chinese Evergreen for the living room. Maybe a house plant shouldn't count for the purposes of a foliage follow-up post but it's too pretty to exclude.
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| Aglaonema (no ID on the variety but it may be 'Siam Pearl') |
As a play on blending the inside and the outside, I also took some pictures of foliage visible from inside my living room. Unfortunately, they didn't turn out very well - in addition to finding a way to manage window glare, I seriously need to spend some time cleaning my windows.
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| Persicaria 'Red Dragon', photographed from the inside of a dirty window |
You can see foliage highlights of other gardeners' foliage selections on Pam's blog,
Digging. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Two of my favourite plants ... Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt and Mexican feather grass!!! They are amazing! In fact, it all looks amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I may be getting a little carried away with the Mexican feather grass but I've come to love the way it moves in the garden. I'm currently trying few new grasses to see if they can compete.
DeleteYour plants are beautiful! I love the Cousin Itt, I need to see if that works here.
ReplyDeleteI put in 2 smaller ones last year and, although the foliage isn't as dense as that on the newest addition, they made it through last summer's heat. They need partial shade but are reputed to be drought tolerant once established.
DeleteGreat foliage! I like them all but I have to say that Rumex is stunning. That's a new one for me. I wonder if it will grow in Texas.
ReplyDeleteHmm...
david/:0)
Supposedly, it'll grow as an annual anywhere. I bought it in a 6-pack at the beginning of our warm season, although my reference book on edibles identifies it as a cool season vegetable. The heat may account for why it's still on the small size in my vegetable bed.
DeleteYour Acacia Cousin Itt would look perfect in the Dr. Seuss portion of my garden! I wonder if it would survive in Oregon - such a cool plant! I agree with you about the Ajuga - it is the plant that keeps on giving. I have the 'Black Scallop' variety, and it kindly and generously spreads in both sun and shade. A very underrated plant in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI love 'Cousin Itt' too. I have my fingers crossed that all 3 of mine will survive another summer's heat - it's still a relatively new plant here so I've yet to see evidence of its long-term performance.
DeleteHouseplants definitely count, and that's a pretty one. I love that 'Cousin Itt' acacia too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my site, Pam, and for hosting foliage follow-up!
DeleteStrobilanthes is obviously an annual here but I have wintered them over in the house once or twice. Love them in mixed containers.
ReplyDeleteFor once we are growing many of the same plants...Ajuga 'Caitlin's Giant' and Hypericum 'Tricolor' have been in my garden for many years. This year I'm giving Persicaria 'Red Dragon' another try because it is definitely hardy here just never in my garden. And after admiring the Stipa on the Hayefield blog I planted a six pack in the spring. Fingers crossed on that one.
Flowers are nice but it's all about the foliage.
I'm steadily adding foliage plants, Sue, but I admit my garden is still heavy on flowers. As I said, I'm a recovering flower fanatic - and recovery may be a life-time process.
DeleteGlad to have found you through Foliage Follow-Up. You have some very interesting types of foliage in your garden especially the Rumex 'Raspberry Dressing'. Those probably aren't hardy here in the northeast but would serve well as interesing houseplants. Love the "cousin it" as well! I am also very big on foliage and keep adding interesting finds as they come along!
ReplyDeleteThe Rumex is a cool season annual so you might be able to grow it outside if you currently grow spinach, Lee. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteYour Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt looks so happy...my poor tortured version in a container does not.
ReplyDeleteSummer is the key test of the garden worthiness of plants here. This 'Cousin Itt' has only been in the ground for a few weeks so I don't think I can count it a success yet. It came in a larger pot (at a higher price, of course) than my 2 others so it was robust to start with.
DeleteYour Rumex looks like dock on steroids. I just posted about a native Kansas Dock for Foliage Followup. Stipa in may garden is beginning to take over, but I learning the tricks of holding it in check,(as I look at 200 seedlings in a tray). ha
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid the Rumex's size has more to do with the miracle of photography than any skill or special support on my part. It's actually small based on the grower's projection of a 15"x15" plant at maturity. I suspect that your Kansas dock is sturdier stuff.
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