Friday, June 17, 2011

Fabulous Foliage - June 2011

Got shade?

As the mercury rises ushering in the first days of summer, I appreciate my shade gardens all the more.  Here are some pictures of some of the fabulous foliage in my shady backyard.

I feel cooler already, don't you?   :-)

 This is a picture of one section of the shade garden expansion project I've been working on over the past couple years... in one form or fashion.   




Hosta 'Francee' is a new addition to the backyard shade garden.

I know I've said we can't grow hostas in Texas, but the ones with heavily "corrugated" leaves that stand up a little taller do seem to do a little better than some.   

It's worth a try!




And another new Hosta called 
 'Gold Standard'
  
I'll keep the slug bait handy and hope for the best.





I couldn't resist this Heuchera (Coral Bells) when I saw it at the nursery.

It's called 'Southern Comfort'




The variegated Solomon's Seal survived the transplant to the new garden this spring.   This is such a graceful looking plant.




The variegated Cast Iron (Aspidistra elatior) has finally put on new growth after being cut to the ground in February.  It suffered severe freeze damage this past winter.


Caladiums are hard to beat for a shady container planting.

Shown here are:
  • Red Flash
  • Carolyn Whorton
  • White Queen 

Who needs blooms with leaves like this!
Foliage...it's not just for shade anymore!

'King Humbert' and 'Tropicanna'  Cannas love the sun
 

Variegeted Tapicoa  (Manihot esculenta) 
can handle blistering, burning sun all day long!

 
Again, with foliage like this, who needs blooms!





Fernleaf Tansy adds a bright splash of chartreuse color to a container or in the garden...

and it smells good too.




Here's some great container combo foliage:

Perilla Magilla
'Ace of Spades' Sweet Potato Vine

I also added pink Pentas and Blue Daze to this combo, but this is a foliage post, so you'll have to go to yesterday's bloom post to see the flowers :-)

Visit Pam at Digging to see other fabulous foliage the world around.

Until next time...

Toni :-)


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12 comments:

  1. MelissaJune 17, 2011 at 10:20 AM

    Ahh the beauty of foliage.

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  2. RBellJune 17, 2011 at 10:39 AM

    Your hostas are looking good - mine tend to struggle in the heat (especially this year). I'm gonna have to consider adding that Solomon's Seal to my garden - looks real nice.

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  3. AnonymousJune 17, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    I like tansy leaves too, for both reasons you mentioned.

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  4. HolleyGardenJune 17, 2011 at 3:18 PM

    Oh, I like that variegated tapicoa! I'll have to be on the lookout for that one. Nice foliage. I love the canna leaves, too.

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  5. BernieHJune 17, 2011 at 6:28 PM

    You've got some fabulous foliage plants in your shady backyard. Loved the Caladium combination and that variegated Tapicoa is a beauty.

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  6. Pam/DiggingJune 17, 2011 at 10:11 PM

    I like your curvy line of aspidistra--very graceful. And yes, that variegated tapioca is to die for. I had one last year--very thirsty but I did love those leaves. Thanks for joining in!

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  7. Lee@A Guide to Northeastern GardeningJune 19, 2011 at 9:16 AM

    Nice shade garden! There are so many wonderful types of foliage that can be used in shade and the combinations you have created are lovely!

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  8. SpinnerJune 19, 2011 at 2:38 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  9. SpinnerJune 19, 2011 at 2:43 PM

    'King Humbert' and 'Tropicanna' Cannas love the sun Hum... good to know that some things like this ...HOT stuff. Now I am a fan of the FULL SON, just not the full & Hot Sun ;)
    it will be cooler on Saturday, correct?

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  10. greggoJune 19, 2011 at 4:03 PM

    Those cannas are super. I purchased 5 bags of pink flowering cannas with striped leaves at the box store. I would get one good rhizome (maybe) out of every bag, return until i got two good ones finally.

    thanks for the nice comments on my blog. I miss my time in Texas.

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  11. gabrielle@flowerbulbcrazy.comJune 22, 2011 at 9:49 AM

    is that white and green multi point leaf a foamflower? I want to get one of those for my shade garden! I have not seen that Tapioca before! I had a canna with very similar leaves. In WI it is certainly looking beautiful in the gardens now!

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  12. wood fencesJuly 7, 2011 at 12:01 AM

    Wonderful foliage plants in your shady backyard! What an amazing job you’ve done on this site! The pictures are absolutely beautiful.
    wood fences

    ReplyDelete

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