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Sunday, April 29, 2012

FOLIAGE FUN

I remember the day I learned about texture in the garden.  I had an area that looked so weedy, but it was full of flowers.  I couldn't figure it out.  Then I read an article about foliage and how you should not only choose plants for their pretty flowers and colors, but just as important - for their foliage.  A mix of foliage types; i.e. wispy, bold, feathery, strappy, big, small, mounding, etc., makes a big difference in the look of a garden.  In almost every area in my garden that I wasn't happy with, I found no mix of texture and foliage. Now I am trying to think about texture and foliage as I rework areas.  Here are some photos of nice foliage plants that I have in my garden, now the trick is to place something very different next to them!

Big, bold leaves of Money Penny
Sedum; bold, thick, bluish
 Columbine; light and airy
 Blue juniper ; spiky, blue, tiny needles
I can't remember what this is, but I love the texture and the yellow tips in Spring 
Yellow Coleus; lobed and veined leaves
 Heuchra; Deeply lobed, pretty yellow and pink leaves
 Silvery leaves of  Rose Campion
 Foxglove, crinkly and pointy
 Lace Cap Hydrangea; bicolor, rounded leaves

 Arborvitae, frilly,  tipped with yellow in Spring
 Bugleweed; deeply veined and tricolor
 A handsome pairing of Japanese Painted Fern and white edged Hosta

It's a never ending process in the garden, and although I've been at it for 20+ years, I still have a lot to learn.    Mostly I use the trial and error approach.  Seems like what works one year may not the next! Crazy.  Which is another reason why texture and foliage is so important.  If something doesn't bloom like you hoped, you can still have an area that you love if your have the right contasts.



I'm joining Mosaic Monday and Outdoor Wednesday this week.  

19 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures...I especially like the sedum because I know that it will be so pink and beautiful in the fall when everything else is finished blooming.

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  2. The textures and colors you have going are wonderful! ::Jill

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  3. Beautiful shots! Your garden is lovely. Such pretty foliage.

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  4. You can have colour in the garden and have not flowers. The use of foliage and texture are great for a shady garden. You have a great selection of colour, texture and shape.

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  5. Gorgeous! I love all the greens and silvers -- texture and color! Well done!

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  6. Hi Leslie: I learned about gardens from my grandmother, but only the names of old fashioned flowers. So I know the difference between bachelor buttons and tiger lillies but that's about it. I just pick things that I think are pretty and so far I've done OK, but once I pick them I never know what they are called. And that's really a shame..Happy Sunday..Judy

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  7. Texture and leaf colour alone can make a pretty garden.
    You have created nice garden beds.

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  8. You have incorporated a lot of nice textures into your garden. The one you are not sure of looks so much like cedar, though I have no idea if it is.

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  9. You have such a wonderful variety of leaves. I think something that pops up here every year might be the Money Penny. I had no idea what it was called or where it wandered from originally. I still find the right plant combinations a challenge.

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  10. Great texture in your garden. The plant you don't remember looks like the Sunkist Arborvitae I have. But then your arborvitae has yellow tips too.

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  11. I love all the pictures of the plants - I'm planning on doing something similar for Wednesday when I showcase the new pollinator garden I'm in the process of putting in my yard. I'm hopeful that I'll have the plants dug in by then. ;)

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  12. Great advice for planning a flower bed. You have such beautiful plants!

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  13. Your photos are so clear and detailed. Lovely mosaic!

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  14. Great photo journal of the beauty of textures. One of my favorites is alchemellia (lady's mantle) for the way that water beads up on it after it's reain.

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  15. Textures are so important. What a great post to remind us all to include lots of them in our gardens. The foliage is as striking as the flowers.

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  16. I love all of the shades og green and the different textures and shapes...what would we do without such beauty, I would hate to find out~

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  17. All of the textures are so lovely. I try to follow this principle too. After the blooms are gone you still have plenty of beauty.
    Ann

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  18. These are all so lovely! I've come by Mary's blog link-up, Mosaic Mondays.

    It is always nice to meet other Christian sisters online!

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  19. I have a similar post about green and texture this week. We think alike on that point. Love your photos. xo Jenny

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