Foliage

I have been joining Pam, from Digging, in her Foliage Follow-ups the 16th of the month.  Just like I do for GBBD, I take way too many photos, then have to decide which ones to post.  I found out my 50 photos for GBBD took really long to load on  dial up computers, so tried to limit this to 10, but that didn't work out.  I did post way fewer than 50, though.

I started in the back yard this time.

This is 'Pesto Perpetuo' a new basil I've seen around for a few years.  I tried it last year, and it lasted longer without wanting to bloom than other basils.  I cooked with it some, but don't remember how the taste compared to other basils.   I didn't find the tag for the small leaved basil to the left, but it may be 'Spicy Globe'.  The chive foliage is growing back well after having been cut to the base after blooming.

I have a variety of sweet potato vines.  I decided not to plant flowers with them in hopes of having a nice harvest of potatoes.  I have a non-ornamental one planted in the back.  It's a good thing I have these and a few others in pots, because all but 3 of the the non-ornamental ones I planted in the ground were eaten by rabbits.

The light colored one is 'Marguerite'.  It grows larger than the others, and seems to be the only one eaten by the metallic looking beetles so far.

This is 'Pineapple Yellow' salvia.  The color goes well with the sweet potato vines.

This is a scented geranium, I'm thinking strawberry.

I couldn't find the tag for this taller type of dusty miller.

I've grown to like coleus, since Larry wants some planted every year.  Our compromise is that I don't crowd them.  The dirt won't show once they grow.

The hostas are doing pretty well.  The ones on the end are a bit shredded and smashed now, because Heidi went past the obstacles and laid down on them.  I've told Larry she can't be trusted outside for any length of time by herself because of all of her digging. 

The euphorbia, 'Bonfire' in the bed in front of the vegetable garden is looking awesome.  I found another one to plant early in the spring.  This one is growing faster, so is now larger than the other than it was when I first planted it.  Hopefully, they will be closer in size next year.

With all the rain we've had, lots of foliage is looking good.  Some may think globe thistle foliage too prickly to their taste, but I love variety.  I have been pulling babies out of the veggie garden, though, because I have a plant back there that I try to remember to dry the flowers from, so the ones on this plant in the side yard can stay on the plant longer.  This year, I'll do a better job getting those cut to dry.

I almost blamed Larry and his weed wacker for the lead plant being stripped to the stems, but figured out it was rabbits.  Have I mentioned they are doing worse damage than ever to plants this year?  Well, the lead plant is recovering well.

Larry used to drive me nuts buying pre-planted hanging baskets.  I love planting them myself, and though they are not full right away, they grow, and the roots don't fill up the dirt so that they can't hold water.  The people at the farmer's market we go to who sell full baskets of bridal wreath for around $17.00 also sell small plants for $1.75 each, or 12 for less than that each.  I planted 4 a few weeks ago, and look how nicely they are filling out.  Well, we still get a few full ones when they go on sale.  I did plant fewer hanging baskets this year because I wanted to spend less time watering pots this summer.

The pasque foliage in the side garden is still pretty.

I like the foliage on this foxglove plant.  The leaf in the top middle shows the shininess and white around the edges well.  The yarrow and 'September Charm' anemone are doing well, too.

I don't remember the name of this sedum in the new curb bed.  I may try to find it later, and come back to add it.

These plants are in the area in front of the planter in front of the house.  There are peonies, lily of the valley, 'Palace Purple' heuchera, a threadleaf coreopsis of some kind, painter's palette, lamb's ears, and lamium.  It's been raining so much that the lamb's ears are falling over the border.

There is lots of foliage in the bed in front of the house.  There are several kinds of heucheras, ginger, pig squeak, which the slugs look to be eating, and the hellebores are holding their own.

This scented geranium was not doing well at the end of winter, but once I took it outside, it started showing its appreciation.  I like the variegation on the leaves.

Thanks for all the nice comments on my Bloomin' Tuesday/GBBD post. I am looking forward to visiting your blogs in the next few days.