Foliage Follow-Up for June 2011

Golden Barrel Cactus

The day after Garden Bloggers Bloomday, we join

Pam at Digging.

for Foliage Follow-Up.

Gold drop Acuba

Flowers are great.  But, the foliage is what makes the garden, for me.

There is softness and a cool feeling from foliage, like this Artemisia 'Powis Castle'.

Daniella tasmanica

Flax Lily adds a bit of light, to a shady garden.  

This Pacifica Chrysanthemum looks like someone painted the edges of the leaves a creamy white.  The flowers on this one are not that interesting to me.  But, the leaves are great.

Another variegated plant I really like is Aztec Grass.  It's sometimes listed as a Liriope.  But, it doesn't look like a variegated Liriope, so I'm not sure.
Still....it's planted all over the fenced area.  Deer will munch it, but not always.  Liriope is gone in a hurry.

I do really like Liriope, though.  It holds up really well in cold or heat.  You can use it for accents, or make a nice green edge along a bed.

It adds some interest to the garden....even makes a good container plant.

Coleus is a favorite of mine.  Look at that color.  But, it takes a lot of water.  So, this is our only one this year.  I over did the impatiens this year.  They love the water, too.

Speaking of leaves with color...look at this new canna.

Isn't that cool?

And, this other one.  I know, I know....it's very dry, and very hot and a crazy time to plant something...but, I couldn't help myself.

They both are supposed to have red blooms.  No name, just 'red canna'.

But. surprise!  It opened up yellow.  So, ok..it'll go with the dwarf yellow ones.

And, look at this!  I think this is an abnormal petal.  But, wouldn't it be great, if there are more of these?

We got them at a neat flower barn.  This family has a cut flower farm, between Wimberley and Blanco.  They sell to the big grocers...Central Market, HEB and more...plus what they have to sell in the barn.  Nice folks, and good prices, too.

I mentioned I planted a lot of impatiens this year.  Most are in pots or baskets....even more watering.  But, the New Guinea varieties hold up better to the heat and dryness.  I like the look of them, even with no blooms.

This is the second round of Persian Shield.  The first one died.  And, one of the two I replaced it with, just up and died this week.  The color in the leaves keeps bringing me back to them.

The Feverfew really held up well to the cold last winter and the summer heat.  It's supposed to 'reseed readily'....but, it hasn't bloomed for us, yet.  Makes a nice bright green spot in the garden.

Another reliable returner is Virginia Creeper.  In fact, I'm not sure you could get rid of it.  But, it's pretty on the fence.

Dichondra argentea

I'm really liking the Silver Pony Foot.
It's supposed to be a ground cover...but, don't you love the way it cascades down the side of a pot?
Love it....

The piece of Yucca trimmed from our neighbor's plant, didn't make it.  So, we replaced it with a Queen Palm.  The label says it's good down to zero degrees.  We'll see.  Mr. P. really likes palms.

Speaking of palms....well...this is not really a palm.  But, it's called a Sago PALM.  It's really a Cycas revoluta.
We thought it was a goner last winter.  Mr. P. refused to dig it up.  And, he was right...this time.
It's back.  But, it's a bit strange.  The fronds are twisted...they kind of coil.  And, it's not as large as it should be, at it's age.  We've had this palm for about seven years.  It lived in a pot in our last garden.

It's the center piece of the front bed...so, it really needs to get back to normal.
Maybe some rain would help.

If the drought keeps up very much longer, we might have to depend on desert type plants....like these Lophantha agaves.

Optunia 'Bunny Ears'

Or, prickly pears.

What kind of foliage do you have?  Check out the foliage, over at Pam's. 

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~