Saturday, January 16, 2010

Foliage Follow-up, January 2010

Thank you Pam (and her blog Digging) for this fun excuse to get outside and appreciate the foliage that has been keeping things green and lively in the garden! This bright little Sweet Flag grass (Acorus gramineus 'Ogon') and it's neighbors go unseen for most of the summer, living under our big Hydrangea. Right now they look so bright and full of promise...
Agave parryi hasn't been at all bothered by the cool temps, and it's leaves almost seem to defect the raindrops.
Our "wall of bamboo" to hide the neighbors is finally doing so!
And the bamboo in the drive-way planters (serving the same purpose) is so bright and happy with all the rain we've been getting.
Even the big leaf bamboo is looking great, except for a little old foliage which needs to be trimmed off. This is one of those cases where I've made up a name for the plant and completely forgot its real name. I call it Salsa Bamboo, because it's fun to say and its real name is something close to that.
The Callistemon leaves capture more than their weight in rain drops!
The Cast Iron plant and Maidenhair ferns are happy in this shady corner. I think the Cast Iron can get buy on much less water than it's been getting but hopefully it isn't minding.
I wove a few Clematis armandii 'Snowdrift' through the Hydrangea to green it up in the winter. They seem to be doing just fine, the trick will be not cutting them back when I cut back the Hydrangea (soon)...
Our Dicksonia antarctica survived being a Christmas Tree stand-in and is back outside where it's loving the moisture.
Dwarf mondo grass, my only complaint about this little ground cover is that it grows too slow! I love it and wish it would just go crazy!
What would I do with out Euphorbia in the wintertime!
Euphorbia amygdaloides
Euphorbia Blackbird
Euphorbia Excalibur
Euphorbia myrsinites
Our Fatsia japonica definitely shows which side is protected and which is not. The left side faces the street where the cold wind blows, the right side the house.
This is why I go through what I go through to protect my Flax plants...gorgeous!
Another...
I can't remember the name of this grass. It starts out almost copper in the spring and then fades to green.
An inherited Hebe, I believe it's "Red Edge"?
As I was taking pictures of the Hebe the whole plant started shaking, it was a little disturbing. Then I realized what was causing it. Evidently Lila saw an opportunity for a drink of water with all the droplets on the leaves...
And lastly the Passion Flower vine, surprisingly evergreen! Parts of it are looking a little saggy but it's nice to see the leaves...
That's my foliage follow-up for January, I feel so lucky to have so much green in the garden, even in the dead of winter. Click on over to Digging to check out other foliage follow-ups!

9 comments:

  1. Lovely--and you're so lucky to keep so much green. My passion-flower died back in our recent vicious Texas freezes.

    Thanks for stopping by Hill Country Mysteries. It's fun to make new garden friends. I'll enjoy following your progression toward spring.

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  2. Hi Loree~~ Your phormiums are fabulous. One of these years I'm going to learn. I think my Dicksonia is a gonner. Okay that's enough negative, isn't it? I love your 'Red Edge.' I've got mine in a pot doing fine. For a Hebe it sure is a slow grower. FYI: Fry Road Nursery has a few dozen varieties of Hebe for sale as plugs. 75 cents a piece. ... For January I have to say, your plants are looking pretty nice.

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  3. Ah, callistemon, bamboo, agave, that delicious euphorbia 'Blackbird'--you have awesome foliage to choose from, Loree. Thanks for participating (even with your bum leg!) in Foliage Follow-Up.

    And yes, cast-iron plant can get by on very little water so long as it has shade. It's found in almost every Austin garden and takes summer's heat and drought in stride.

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  4. You are wooing me with every picture of E.'Blackbird' - although I know it will not be winter hardy here! Curses! The sign of a true garden friend. 'Parry' is ever the handsome rascal! I envy you often, but especially at this time of year!

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  5. Fantastic Phormiums!
    Well Done!

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  6. Like Teza, I really admire the Blackbird and your photo of it is a stunner, as well as your flax photos (we have a hard time with flax here, too humidy hot). On the other side of the country we are also in a land of everygreens. I'll likely not post for after GBBD saving my evergreens for another day.

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  7. Kathleen, I was really surprised when I saw the passion flower. Last year it was in a pot and looked dead. I planted it in the ground and it went crazy! So glad it's still happy.

    Grace, I think I've learned that Flax in pots is the way to go. Sad because they get so HUGE in the ground but death is never fun. Sorry to hear about your Dicksonia! Was it an oldie?

    Pam, foliage is what it's all about in the danger garden! Thanks again for the excuse to get out there and take a look.

    Teza, you're Zone 5 right? (I think) The Euphorbia Blackbird is hardy to Zone 6...that's close! Push it!

    Lauren, those are the ones in a pot. I didn't show the ones in the ground. They aren't so pretty....unfortunately.

    Les, I look forward to seeing your evergreens, and I enjoy learning more about gardening on your side of the country!

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  8. You may have found a better name for it, but I think the large leafed bamboo is Sasa Palmata. It's a miracle yours doesn't have bamboo mites, they almost always do around here. The tree fern's back outside? If the winter stays this mild, I could see it being out for good now. I sorely missed mine last year, I'm replacing it just as soon as I think I can get away with it.
    Your phormiums are so beautiful, it's a good thing they made it through.

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  9. wait!!! My Hebe is WAY dead right now, it's the Amy variety...what am I doing wrong? Everything? :)

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