When I first started thinking about which foliage would be suitable to record for August’s Foliage Day, I didn’t think there would be very much as we are still suffering from a lack of rain. Fortunately I was wrong and there turned out to be quite a few plants that were carrying on regardless in spite of not having much moisture. The first to be photographed was Hosta June, which is new this year and has settled in nicely.
Hosta Crossa Regal is still managing to look good. It is losing its blue colouring and becoming more green, but the slugs and snails are leaving it alone, or are they all being eaten by the blackbirds and thrushes?
When I pushed my way round the far side of the pond, I found Hosta Sieboldii, quietly growing away unseen because the miscanthus next to it has grown so much. Like the previous hosta, this has also lost its blue waxy covering, but the leaves have grown so huge, well over a foot long and about 10 inches wide.
This is the Miscanthus variegatus which is spreading sideways rather too much, so action will need to be taken by next spring. In the meantime we are enjoying it arching over the pond.
Growing lustily in the pond is Pontaderia, which sends up these large paddle shaped leaves before the blue flower spikes open up. This is something else that will need to be sorted as there isn’t much water showing at this time of year.
Heuchera Lime Marmalade which was planted in early summer is obviously happy where I have put it. The foliage has stayed nice and bright all summer in the half shade although I can see that a bit of weeding is needed!
Near to the previous heuchera is H. Marmalade which is putting out new leaves non stop. These two plants have been a really good buy and I will certainly buy more.
The tree heath or Erica arborea is still managing to grow and will soon need its annual haircut, the old flowers at the front will soon be cut away.
In the back border between the house and the woodland, there are a few shrubs that form a screen, one of which is this blue conifer. This forms a contrast with the gold leafed Philadelphus next to it.
In the same border Euonymous fortunae Emerald Gaiety shines out of the darkness.
I was quite surprised to find that the ferns in the woodland are still looking ok. With all the huge trees taking any available moisture, I expected to see them looking very dry.
We always have lots of yew seedlings round the garden from the large one in the back corner. Some have been moved and are being trained into shapes, others may turn into a hedge, if I can decide where I need a yew hedge!
Acer Osakazuki is still green, no sign of autumn here yet.
The Cotinus in the back garden is still showing the lovely dark purple leaves that we enjoy all summer.
Cornus alba sibirica Westonbirt planted in the back half of the bee and butterfly border, forms a green backdrop to all the flowers that the visiting insects enjoy. It won’t be very long before these green leaves turn a deep burgundy before revealing the lipstick red stems which then form the interest for 6 months over winter.
Ilex Golden King always looks neat and tidy.
Miscanthus sinensis Malepartus forming a green fountain, the flowers are just about to appear and they are of a deep burgundy colour before bleaching to almost white.
In the border by the field various dahlia foliage is looking nice and fresh. They should be, as they are one of the few plants that I am watering!
Phuopsis stylosa has silver leaves to contrast with everything else in the border by the field.
Rhododendron yakushimanum still has most of its silvery covering on its new leaves. Normally this would have been washed off by now, so this shows how little rain we have had over the summer.
All the pulmonarias are looking neat and tidy with fresh leaves. These were all cut back hard after flowering and have now replaced the old growth with lovely new foliage.
I know most of you don’t like it, but variegated laurel puts up with whatever the weather throws at it, it has a cast iron constitution! It also brightens up the dark corner where it is.
Autumn is on its way, there are quite a few leaves showing signs of the passing months. I have lots of leaves that are showing stress, we continue to throw buckets of water on the worst and are just about keeping them alive. Rain thank goodness, is forecast for Friday, but will it be enough?
Many thanks to Christina at My Hesperides Garden for hosting Garden Bloggers Foliage Day once more, I will be visiting to see all the interesting foliage from around the world, please join me.
Pauline, your foliage is fabulous! You have so much that is beautiful, despite the dry weather you’ve had. Devon truely is a great place to garden but even there you need a talented gardener to create what you have in your garden. Christina
Thank you so much for your lovely comments Christina. I agree, Devon is a super place to garden, we have so many fabulous gardens to inspire us and the weather is usually kind!
Pauline, you have such a rich array of foliage examples. Your ferns are wonderful and I really like both of your Heucheras. Hope to add more myself. Susie
I was very surprised Susie to find the ferns looking so good. I havn’t been looking in the woodland for quite some time as it is so dry and all the Chestnut leaves are crunching underfoot. I find it quite depressing, but cheered up when I saw that the ferns were still bright and perky, they must have found some moisture!
You are showing really nice foliage. Hosta June has long been on my wish list. The grasses look so elegant and also the ferns. I look forward to seeing the Acer changing colour. My Cotinus has the most amazing colour in the afternoon, when the setting sun shines on it. Pulmonaria looks great in the spring, but also now with the dottet leaves.
Thank you Gitte, a lot more foliage was looking good enough to photograph than I first thought. Slowly leaves are changing colour as the temperatures drop, it won’t be long before it’s autumn.
Oooops – 22nd of the month already and I was completely oblivious! Thanks for reminding me and for showing your wonderful foliage – just skimming through the post and seeing the pictures was an absolute delight, demonstrating just how important foliage should be in our gardens. Aren’t pulmonarias fantastic at this time of year – I love them!
Time flies, doesn’t it Cathy! The difference in the pulmonarias is amazing once the old leaves have been removed, they look so fresh now. I will wait for your foliage post!
It’s a good tip to cut back the pulmonarias after flowering, they obviously do well on it. And I still wish I could find your secret with hostas. We have plenty of birds, but they don’t seem to like slugs and snails very much!!
Jessica, the pulmonarias were looking so awful earlier in the year so a good cut back was the only answer, I’m so glad I did. I don’t have a secret for hostas unfortunately, any that are grown near the house suffer and one that I have in a pot suffers. I think the answer is to put them all away from the house, where the snails must hide in cracks, into the open garden where the birds can deal with them.
A lovely mix of foliage Pauline – so many colours and textures. I love silvery leaves for contrast too. I never dare cut my Pulmonarias back early, as it usually is so hot by the time they have finished flowering I think it will stress them. You’ve reminded me to cut out the old and singed leaves now though! When we moved here there was a huge clump of ferns in the full sun – they thrive every year, but sometimes get burnt by August. This year I cut them down at the beginning of the month and they started producing new shoots, some about 2 foot high already! Such resilient plants!
Glad to hear Cathy, that your ferns survived the chop, plants are amazing aren’t they. I’ve never tried it with ferns, maybe next year I will give it a go!
So much in your garden is looking good, despite the dry summer. It is interesting to see how everything is doing in these conditions. I’m enjoying summer, but when it passes it will be lovely to see the autumn tints amongst the foliage. And it would be wonderful if you did have more blackbirds and thrushes around this year to tackle those slugs and snails!
Lots of plants Wendy, are coping better than I thought they would, hydrangeas are struggling along with rhododendrons and camellias. These are getting watered when necessary, over here in the west of the country, we normally have more rain than we have had this year. Maybe its the dry weather that has kept the slugs and snails at bay this year, whatever it is, I hope they stay away!
Lot’s of great examples of pretty foliage here Pauline. I like the paddle shaped leaves of the Pontaderia and the interesting texture of the Erica arborea. Your collection of ferns is nice. What is the one after the Japanese fern? (It has greyish leaves and a pinkish-grey stem. Very pretty!)
Jennifer, the photo of the fern after the Japanese Fern is Polystichum setiferum Divisilobum, why do ferns have such long names! It is a lovely fern, evergreen here, which has a springy texture to the fronds. The Pontderia is getting out of hand in the pond, it must have burst out of the basket it was planted in, work to do in that area!
Pauline, extremely healthy looking foliage, considering the weather this year. I’ve found that my hostas are struggling somewhat and very few are actually flowering.
I love your blue conifer and that Miscanthus sinensis is going to be wonderful pretty soon!
Thanks Angie, I think I have to be thankful for my heavy clay hanging onto the available moisture. The miscanthus will be lovely soon when it is flowering and then it has a final fling by turning a lovely golden colour!
Pauline, you must know you are a gardener after my own heart! I admire the fabulous variety of foliage you have. Such a great backdrop for flowers when they appear, but your garden would be so lovely even without them!
Deb, I think we both value contrasting foliage in the garden, it is so important for when flowers are having a rest. I hope your hip is improving so that you can enjoy your garden again.
I was sorely tempted by hosta ‘June’ at the Southport Flower Show last week Pauline – it was only the practicalities of getting her back on the train undamaged that made me refrain. She looks as if she is shining out in your garden. Hope that you got some rain.
You went to the Southport Show Anna, I used to when we lived there 23 yrs ago! Lucky you,but that must have been quite some train journey. I’m sure you will be able to find June nearer to home, it is widely available and it looks as though she is going to be a good ” doer”. We had a tiny bit of rain, but I was back watering the essentials the next day!