Old Man Winter paid an early visit and threw a costume ball.
It would be rude of me to give away their identity, don’t you think? After all, going incognito almost always involves some discomfort.
Click through to Digging to see what Pam is highlighting this month.
We plant for year-round interest and use lots of conifers, so winter is when it shines.
Thujopsis dolobrata ‘Variegata’
This is the latest addition, said to reach 30′ x 12′. Placed against the background of a pair of already immense, dark cedars, the white variegation should show up dramatically.
Sempervivum ‘Topaz’
At ground level, ‘Topaz’ is a favorite of the many Hens & Chicks tucked in here and there.
Mahonia ‘Arthur Menzies’
Which is not to say that I fail to appreciate the occasional blossom when it shows up. With the mild November we have been having, Arthur has at long last made it past the early budding phase. Once again, Pam invites us to celebrate foliage in our gardens and I am only too happy to, once again, gratefully accept.
Crape Myrtle and Viburnum ‘Blue Muffin’
A few show-offy plants take center stage this time of year. My Crape Myrtle from the Arbor Society never blooms but its incandescent burst of color more than makes up for that. Like a shadow behind it is ‘Blue Muffin’.
A closer look reveals the subtle range of colors that cause it to seem to shimmer, even on an overcast day.
Oxydendrum arboreum
The sourwood tree began a subtle shift in early September.
The beginning of a crescendo that led to this: Nothing subtle about it now.
In the green world of Delusional Drive, this little Viburnum (can’t tell you which one, since it was obviously mislabeled when I bought it) draws attention.
Coleus
Soon the stormy weather will douse the flames and turn these Coleus to mush but what a glorious sendoff. Pam at Digging invites us to celebrate foliage on the 16th of every month. Click through to join the foliage fest.
While out shooting foliage, this photo rose to the top to be featured as this week’s Wednesday Vignette, hosted by Anna (Flutter and Hum).
For this month’s Foliage Follow-up, hosted by Pam (Digging), I was attracted to newly emerging leaves and needles. Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’, or Bird’s Nest Spruce, is a uniformly colored background plant most of the year, but in early spring the new growth is a fresh spring green that raises its value considerably.
This little procumbent deodor cedar is interesting by virtue of its form, but even more so right now, with the new needles coming in.
Right after Pieris japonica ‘Mountain Fire’ finishes blooming (with flowers that look to me like dirty handkerchieves) the real show begins, earning it its name.
Here we have the Cotinus blushing bright red before putting on its ‘Purple Robe’ and cozying up to ‘Thunderhead’ pine sporting the “candles” that will become new foliage (at least the ones that escape being snapped off to control the growth pattern).
Ending, where we began, with Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula Purpurea’. It’s at its very best when the leaves are brand new and coppery and pleated like this.
So of course I have to lead with shamrocks.
But let’s not stop there. I loved the way the raindrops sparkled on this unknown Verbascum.
And the play of textures that happen stepping back a ways.
Do visit Pam (Digging) to see her focus on foliage. I’ll be back with more on the 22nd, when Christina steps up with her foliage from another continent.
My focus on foliage along one side of Delusional Drive is really beginning to pay off. Taking a cue from Christina (Creating My Own Garden of the Hesperides), who hosts Garden Bloggers’ Foliage Day on the 22nd of each month, I have been adding a few flowering plants to spice up the mix. These days, though, the mix of many shades and textures of green holds its own.
Here it is looking the other way.This is before I have even begun the yearly weeding and cutting back chores.
Thuja occidentalis ‘Yellow Ribbons’ introduces a nice bright note, backed by the dark form of Ceanothus impressus ‘Victoria’, which will be covered in blue blossoms later on. Another Ceanothus, ‘Blue Jeans’ blooms earlier at the other end of the border. A few tufts of Carex buchanii do bronze duty.
Arcostaphylos densiflora ‘Harmony’ is pruned to show off her shapely ankles, with Yucca filamentosa nearby for textural contrast.
The queen of the border right now, to my eyes, is this deodora cedar.
I’m fond of Salix integra ‘Hakuro Nishiki’ when it is clothed in variegated pink, white and spring green leaves, but right now it’s showing off coral bark as new buds catch the light. The founder of the original Foliage Fan Club, Pam (Digging) invites us to strut our leafy wonders as a follow up to Bloom Day. She’s forgiving about when that happens (target day, 16th of any month). I’m so tardy this month that I couldn’t find a way to send you straight to her February post, but don’t let that stop you. Any visit to Pam’s blog is worth your while.
I stayed indoors for my foliage shots this time, wimp that I am. The wonderful marbled leaves on red stems with red veining on the undersides came from Evan at the last plant swap. Maybe he can enlighten us as to its name.
Kalanchloe orgyalis
Kalanchloe orgyalis is also known as copper spoons. It would take on a more coppery tone if it were to get direct sunlight.
Shoddy record keeping strikes agin. I do love this little guy, whatever his name.
Sedum morganianum
It has taken years for this lovely lady to grow her trailing locks of Burro’s Tail Sedum. Be sure to visit Pam (Digging) to see what foliage fanciers have in store for this month’s Foliage Follow-Up.
This dark and gloomy day made photographing this week’s vase challenging. Oh, well…must soldier on. Gathering tax records led to a swamping out of areas where all sorts of things had been gathering dust. Hence the tall vase, which I had completely forgotten about.
The bright red leaves are from the sourwood tree, or Oxydendrum arboretum. Dark leaves come from Weigelia ‘Wine and Roses’. The dark red snapdragons are the last flowers to keep going strong and have earned a repeat and increased numbers for next year (I hardly expected such productivity from a humble six-pack). The last hot pink Zinnia is hiding in there somewhere too.
One branch of Cornus kousa ‘China Girl’ completes the picture.
That girl from China has been putting on a show, what with one thing after another, since early spring. She deserves a rest after this last glorious aria. This 3-in-one post links to (May Dreams Gardens) for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, (Rambling in the Garden) for In a Vase on Monday, and (Digging) for Foliage Follow Up.
Schefflera delavyi
Finally, at the HPSO Plant Fest, I found a small Schefflera delavayi within my price range. Cistus was the vendor and here’s what the plant tag has to say about it: “In our never ending search for garden hardy evergreen Schefflera relatives, here’s one that’s actually a Schefflera. This Himalayan species grows eventually to 6 or 8 ft and can have leaves in excess of 2 ft with an exquisite tawny indumentum. So far has proven hardier that even Fatsia to a low USDA zone 7!!” Can you tell I’m just a little bit excited?
Brunnera ‘Alexander’s Great’
More Plant Fest finds: that’s Brunnera ‘Alexander’s Great’ in the background, even bigger and bolder than its predecessors. It and the Kniphofia ‘Orange Vanilla Popsicle’ in front of it came from the Jockey Hill stand.
Fatshedra
This wonderful Fatshedra came from Alison at our Bloggers’ Bazaar. The variegation reminds me of Fatsia ‘Camouflage’, another wish list plant. That does it, since I decided to focus on new foliage plants for this installment of Pam’s (Digging) monthly festival of foliage.
I’ve always loved the foliage of Thalictrum but wasn’t crazy about the fluffy flowers. Along came T. roehebrunianum with these dainty little flowers and resistance was futile.
Flowers are almost an afterthought on Hydrangea quercifolia as it mixes it up with Sambucus nigra ‘Eva’. In Autumn, its leaves turn shades of rust and flame.
Speaking of Hydrangeas, they are mostly background plants around here. ‘Preziosa’ has interesting black stems and pale flowers that show subtle coloration from rose through blue, all on the same bush.
‘Limelight’ has cone shaped flower heads that start out green and go through the slow transition through white to a rosy blush at the end of life.
I planted Campsis x tagliabuena ‘Madame Galen’ in front of five fence posts, with the idea that they would reach out to each other. The two that receive the most sun are adhering to the plan while the others languish in part shade.
The flowers, when they come, do Madame proud.
No one that I know buys Sempervivums for the flowers, but aren’t they interesting? They grow on ungainly stalks and signal the death of the plant, but the flowers themselves are rather pretty.
If there was any doubt that foliage can rival any flower, Coleus would send it packing. Here’s a deep russet one shading to orange. In front of it is an Abutilon with buds that match the Coleus foliage so completely that they disappear. Down in the left corner is another Coleus with chartreuse leaves splotched with maroon.
Crocosmias have a way of turning up unexpectedly. This one chose a woodland setting, where it adds a touch of color to a tapestry of greens. I like it best in this early, budding stage.
I think I take this same picture every year, when the Leycesteria formosa decks herself out in dangling earrings like this.
I planted a few things just to cut for bouquets, like this deep red snapdragon amid the lavender.
Tithonia for the butterflies. They seem to be appreciative.
Sami wonders where her plants are. I neglected to plant any catnip this year but she quickly lost interest (unlike the strays). She’s not as mean as she looks, she just doesn’t like to have her picture taken.
There must be Nasturtiums every year. This is a new to me strain with the variegated leaves. There are some orange sherbet colored blossoms hiding in there somewhere.
A couple of purely foliage plants are living in pots until friendlier planting weather. First up: Argentina anserina, whose shimmering silveriness I failed to capture. Just imagine those deeply pleated, serrated leaves fashioned from tin and you get the idea.
More heavily textured leaves on Viburnum rhy. ‘Allegheny’. The leafy love in this post is dedicated to Pam (Digging), who invites us to strut our foliar stuff for Foliage Follow Up on the 16th of each month. Credit goes to Carol (May Dreams Gardens) for hosting Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day on the 15th.
I’ll say bye for now, with one backward glance at Platycodon, otherwise know as balloon flower (see how the buds blow up like their namesakes before opening?)