Wednesday, June 16, 2010

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.

16 comments:

  1. What a variety of plants! I am thinking about adding sweet potato vine next year and doing more with heuchera. I have tried a ammonia and water solution for slugs this season with good results and it is such an easy application (and inexpensive). Nice photos.

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  2. I just so love all your plants- you have such a variety. I managed to kill off mt one heuchera, and oddly enough, the scented geraniums- which is odd about the geraniums as I grow them by the bucket load- VERY Irish!! I love foxgloves- they are amazing plants!Used to grow coleus in East Africa, and sweet potatoes, but not here- too cold and wet.
    Anyhow, I just love your garden! Thank you for sharing!

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  3. I love your garden beds. You have a lot of different types and colors of foliage and that makes it interesting. Beautiful. Have a nice day. Becca

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  4. I have pineapple sage paired with 'Black Heart' sweet potato vine too, and I love the way they look together. I haven't seen the 'Marguerite' before, but I like it too. You have a lot of lovely foliage, and I like that you included the pretty basil in there too.

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  5. Hi Sue. I love all the foliage that you have planted, gorgeous. I am like you with wanting to plant my own baskets. Thankfully hubby now agree that my planters look better all through the summer so he doesn't fight me on this any more.

    I hate dialup and I will never go back to it. It takes way too long to load things.

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  6. I will comment on the flowers from your previous post and today's foliage plants.

    I can't believe all the variety you have in flowers...just gorgeous.

    And now foliage....I know all the rains have been wonderful, especially for these kinds of plants. We had lots of rain last spring and I was amazed at the growth.

    No so this spring; we are very dry here.

    Enjoy the beauty the rains bring.

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  7. I agree on the prearranged combination planters, would rather do it myself too! Your gardens are looking so beautiful. Wish we could get some rain, upwards of 100degrees here!

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  8. Great photos - and isn't the variety of foliage just as wonderful as the flowers? (Almost???) ;-)

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  9. Almost all the foliage in your pics grow in our part of the world too. Thanks for reminding me of some I had forgotten.

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  10. Hiya Sue,
    You can't be expected to alter your way of posting for a handful of dial-up readers, but if you have a lot then instead of limiting the number of images, you might try spreading them over two posts on the same day. Then opening one post at a time will make them appear faster and give the text sooner too. Just a thought.

    Wonderful leaves. As nice as flowers, some of them. Sweet potato vine is a new one to me. Does that equate with what I know as yam?
    Such sharp clear pictures.

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  11. Hi Sue, You do have a lot of various interesting foliage! Lovely. I might add in beautiful condition. You are not bothered by slugs it seems. Lucky you! ;>)

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  12. I love the stock tank planted up! I'll bet it just gets better and better as summer continues.

    Wonderful displays and vignettes everywhere!

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  13. the orchid with the various greens is spectacular- I tried to use the new template and was unable to get it to work..what is wrong with me?

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  14. Do you happen to know the latin name for the lead plant by any chance. I fell in love with that foliage :-)

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I welcome comments and questions from anyone, including those who do it anonymously. Some people find my posts by doing searches, and I like hearing from them. I guess spammers won't even read this message, but I will delete spam as soon as I see it.