The garden is now, in this month of June, filled with flowers of all description, but if we stop for a while, we can see that foliage still has a large part to play in the garden, even if it is in a supporting role.
Rogersia
My Rogersia in the bog garden, has now turned green from the beautiful bronze colour that it was a month ago, which I think is a shame. Even so, the large leaves contrast with the divided leaves of the ferns and astilbes planted around it. I’m going to have to move the Japanese painted fern from behind it as it is too small and can’t be seen properly.
Rhododendron Yakushimanum
The flowers have finished on this rhodo, but look at the new growth, it is just as good, but different. Eventually the white felt covering will wash off with the rain, but for now it is continuing the interest from the flowers.
Assorted foliage.
Foliage from two ferns, solomon’s seal, crocosmia and the spotted laurel combine to make up a textured tapestry which will carry on until the autumn. There would have been lots of pulmonaria here too, but I pulled it out to find the path through the rhodo bed!
Polistichum setiferum Divisilobum
A detail of the fern in the above photo on the left. The unfurling frond of Polistichum setiferum Divisilobum is quite beautiful and quite furry to stroke.
Acer palmatum Shindeshojo
The lovely foliage on my new Acer palmatum Shindeshojo, is very slowly turning green. It is still mostly red/pink. but gradually the green is taking over, still very pretty though.
Dryopteris erythrosora.
I think this is the fern, Dryopteris erythrosora, the autumn fern. The new fronds expand showing very autumnal colours, hence it’s common name.
Heuchera, Hosta and Hakonechloa
In my new planting in the rhodo bed, the central group of plants are very much foliage plants. The Heuchera on the left was just labelled as Heuchera, the hosta is H. Devon Blue and the grass is Hakonechloa All Gold. Hopefully over the years they will expand and grow together forming a weed suppressing cover of interesting foliage.
A close up of the gorgeous curly leaves of the Heuchera which I bought last Saturday when garden visiting.
Foliage in the bog garden.
Mainly green, but a variety of leaf shapes make an interesting group at the left hand edge of the bog garden. Astilbe, hosta, fern and iris leaves all have such individual leaf shapes, they all contrast with each other.
Santolina Lemon Fizz.
When I was looking for foliage for Foliage Day, the Santolina Lemon Fizz on the alpine scree was lit up by the sunshine, making it shine brightly and stand out from everything around it. This plant will soon be flowering, but quite honestly, I think the foliage looks just as good on its own. The blue in the middle distance is Campanula poscharskyana and Geranium magnificum and the white in the distance is one of my rhododendrons.
Actinidia kolomicta
The leaves which opened in the spring on the Actinidia kolomicta, had variegation of white and pink, but now all the white has become pink. The colouring will stay the same until the leaves fall in the autumn.
Philadelphus and cedar
These two shrubs are in the back garden and contrast with each other for most of the year. The golden leaved Philadelphus contrast so well with the blue cedar next to it. The Philadelphus will be flowering very soon, when the perfume will be carried across the garden on the westerly breeze.
Acanthus mollis.
The huge leaves of Acanthus mollis are spreading somewhat, I’ll have to get out there with a spade. The flowers are almost ready to open, but in the meantime I just enjoy the leaves.
Mahonia Charity
The Mahonia Charity by the dead oak is putting out lots of new growth. We have another in the front garden, but that one needs cutting right back as it is getting too long and lanky!
Lysimachia cillata Firecracker.
A plant that sometimes is the bane of my life when it pops up in borders 20 ft away! This Lysimachia does have beautiful foliage which contrasts with the Euonymous next to it, I just wish it didn’t want to be so footloose and fancy free, it likes to wander far and wide unfortunately!
Thanks once again to Christina at My Hesperides Garden, for hosting this foliage meme each month. This encourages us to go looking for interesting foliage instead of flowers, where would we be without foliage, it is the backbone of the garden!
The garden foliage is splendid – your variegated hostas are almost perfect and they contrast with the ferns amazingly!
The santolina ‘lemon fizz’ is beautiful – I only have the standard grey one and it is nothing on yours….wow!
Santolina Lemon Fizz makes it look as if the sun is always shining Matt. Hostas and ferns are such a good combination, I seem to have so many of both!
Apologies if this is the third comment! Gremlins this morning.
Your Acer palmatum Shindeshojo is beautiful. Presumably it will return to that colour in autumn.
This is just the second Jessica! The label on Shindeshojo says that it has good autumn colour, so I’m hoping it returns to it’s spring colour, I will let you all know!
every month you amaze me with more stunning foliage. So many beautiful combinations. Thank you for sharing so we can all learn from you.
I think you have probably seen it all now Christina! Other gardeners and gardens inspire me , I think we can pick up ideas from each other.
That is the best collection of varieties of lovely foliage I’ve seen in a long time. The Santolina blew me away – it is gorgeous. And everything is in such good condition. If you’re feeling the lack of a few slugs and snails I can let you have some….
Thank you so much Kate, you’re very kind. The Santolina is an eye catcher, looking like a spot of sunshine in the garden.
We have plenty of slugs and snails, thank you! I also have my little army of blackbirds, thrushes, hedgehogs frogs etc that gobble them up!
What a wonderful assortment of different textures, shapes, and colours, some beautiful combinations there, foliage is brilliant for knitting gardens together.xxx
Thanks Dina, I think lovely tapestry effects can be made with foliage, there are so many different shapes and colours. I find it easier to do in my shady borders than my sunny ones, I will keep trying with my sunny borders!
Beautiful! I love all your mixes and contrasts in foliage. It really is an important part of a shady garden, isn’t it?
The rogersia is my favorite, purple or not! and the bog plantings look great as well.
Glad you like them Frank! I certainly agree that foliage plays such an important role in the shady areas, sometimes it is too dark for flowers, but foliage can be relied upon to create interest.
Hi Pauline, you’re so right about the importance of foliage and your beautiful images show some fine examples. I’d love a Rodgersia but it’d die of thirst here, I’m afraid. That Santolina at the beginning of this inviting path makes such a statement – wow, it really shines out! My favourite combinations are those with fine and coarse leaves as I like the contrast. Hope your roses have started to flower and make you smile on your daily tours. Have a lovely summer 🙂
I’m so glad you agree with me Annette! I’m lucky in that we have an underground stream which I capitalised on by turning it into a bog garden, thank goodness it never needs watering even when we are having a dry spell. I must try some cutting of the santolina and spread it round the garden in sunny spots. Yes, our roses are flowering away now, some have finished their first lot of flowers with buds already for the second flush.
The Santolina Lemon Fizz really caught my eye. What a fantastic foliage plant! As always I admire your rodgersia. I must remember to look for a plant when I visit my local nursery next. The Bear’s Breeches, Acanthus mollis my Mom gave me last summer seems to have vanished over winter. Another plant to add to my wish list.
It does make a statement in the garden doesn’t it Jennifer! I thought you couldn’t kill off Acanthus mollis, I thought once you had it, then you couldn’t get rid of it! Was your winter too cold for it?
Wow, Pauline!
You have such beautiful foliage! I love the Acer…..It’s an amazing color right now. I’ve never seen a Rhododendron develop new growth that is covered in white fuzz…….it’s cool…..So many ferns. It makes me think I need more kinds of ferns! 🙂
I mentioned that I have a bog as well but, I’m not sure it’s the same thing…..we call it a swamp. There’s a brook that has a large area of muck around it with wet ground further out. There’s a lot of plant life with brier patches, skunk cabbage, fern and hardwood trees and vines.
In any case, yours is fantastic! Happy Gardening!
Ferns and hostas are the main foliage plants in all the shade that we have Sally. There are so many to choose from, gardeners are spoil for choice! It sounds as if your swamp and my bog seem pretty similar, but I think a swamp will have more water. We have skunk cabbage at the side of our pond, which is next to the bog, one with white spathes and one with yellow. I love the different areas that we have in the garden, it means that I can use very different planting to the rest of the garden, we are so lucky!
What a wealth of foliage Pauline!
When I brought Lysimachia cillata Firecracker here 10 years ago I was not to come back for a month so I planted it in a ditch to make sure it would have enough water. It is still in the ditch as it looks so well there. Strangely (fortunately) it did not spread even if it is quite healthy.
Maybe mine is looking for more water Alain, I’m so envious that yours has stayed put!
what an unusual Santolina, superb. I love the foliage shots, it must have been such fun wandering around the garden choosing scenes to frame. Acanthus mollis – great foliage but terribly badly behaved!
It was fun Catmint, I waited for something to jump out at me as I was wandering around! The Santolina is on the alpine scree which is just outside the dining room window, so I don’t even have to go outside to see it, such a bright splash of yellow. The Acanthus should be used to me chopping it when it tries to take over new ground, but it never seems to get the message!
Pauline, your foliage displays are inspirational. Your newest Heuchera is such a great color. Bet it will become a favorite. Lysimachia cillata Firecracker is beautiful.
Thanks Susie! The Heuchera certainly is a beautiful colour, and I love the frilled edges to the leaves too.
I always drool over your posts; this is no exception with all the wonderful foliage, which you know I love. The photo with the Santolina Lemon Fizz and the campanula and geranium is fabulous. The combination in the last photo is also striking. Really, I love it all!
The Lemon Fizz Deb, certainly shines out on a dull day, looking like a little pool of sunshine. Thank you for your lovely comments, I do appreciate them.