There isn’t always a showy flower blooming in one part of the garden or another because full sun is limited. So, I rely on foliage. I spoke to Margaret Roach on her radio show about my love of plant form and shape, leaf texture and color. Here are some examples from August.
(Above) The complex foliage texture and color as seen from the porch.
(Below) The leaves of ‘Silver Cloud’ redbud Cercis canadensis are nearly white. When I first got this tree, I planted it in too much shade. I thought it might burn in more sunlight. Then I saw one in North Carolina in the middle of a lawn in full sunlight and it looked great. I dug the tree and moved it to a sunnier spot. It thanked me.
Leaves and combinations, below from left to right: Artic willow (Salix purpurea ‘Nana’) and a red maple seedling. The gold leaves of Sambucus racemosa ‘Dropmore Fernleaf’ Lemony Lace. The hybrid smokebush, Cotinus ‘Grace’ blends European and North American species has almost iridescent leaves.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Yuki Gessho’ has variegated leaves. Another variegated woody plant, this time a tree, is Cornus kousa ‘Wolf Eyes’. (Bottom) The nearly metalic Artimesia ‘Silver King’ with geranium.
Leucosceptrum japonicum ‘Golden Angel’ (below left) is an herbaceous perennials. Ligularia japonica is an easy plant to grow in a moist spot with big, ferny palmate leaves (center). Margaret and I both love Eucomis, pineapple lilies. We love them for their leaves even before the flowers emerge. This one (bottom) with purple leaves is ‘Sparkling Burgundy’.
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