Monday, July 16, 2012

Foliage Follow-up…variegation in my garden


This must be one of the most obvious topics for a Foliage Follow-up post, but somehow I’ve never done it...

If you were to ask me if there are many variegated plants in my garden I’d say no. However looking for plants to photograph I discovered there actually are quite a few. I do try and stay to the yellow side of things though; early on I discovered the garden could get quite noisy when you’ve got both yellow and white variegation.

One of the most obvious group of variegated plants has got to be the Hostas…

Then of course there are the Yucca…they've got so many different stripe widths and colors!

Followed by the grasses, and “grass-like” plants…

And we can’t forget the Agaves!

And there are the Cannas…

(red counts too right?)

Euphorbia (“Ascot Rainbow”)

Everybody loves the Gingko…

Even the subtle coloration on the Aloe makes it part of the club.

In the splotchy variegation category we’ve got a Saxifraga...

And because we all need a little goth in the garden, Colocasia ‘mojito’

Thanks to Pam at Digging for the excuse to focus on foliage, visit Digging for links to the blogs of other foliage lovers.

36 comments:

  1. luscious variegation! Did I spot a nice yucca gloriosa variegata there about 8 yucca pics in?! and how is your bright star doing? did he recover from the spots? Everything looks amazing. BTW I'm uber jealous of your amazing yucca 'margaritaville.'

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    1. Uhm...I don't think I've got a Yucca gloriosa variegata, but then I also have no idea what the Yucca is in picture #110 (if you hover over it you can see the number) it just appeared a few weeks ago and has grown quite fast.

      My 'bright star' is #109, I cut off all the ugly foliage which left 3 leaves, it's since grown 4 or 5 more so it doesn't look so geeky. Still, it's not the big sexy plant I feel in love with...

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  2. Gorgeous! Love variegated foliage & the red edges on the phormium blade frame the green and yellow so nicely. As always, your garden amazes!

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    1. Isn't that Phormium dreamy? I love it and wish I could plant 12 more (only a slight exaggeration).

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  3. It took me a while to come around on variegated plants. I think I would have gotten there faster if I'd seen this post. Everything looks awesome!

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    1. Thank you! So which plant was your first foray in variegation?

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  4. Interesting focus, and I agree with the outlaw, that the red edges finish things off perfectly, especially on the Agaves.

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    1. Bet you never thought you'd be typing "I agree with the outlaw"...

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  5. I need to buy at east one variegated agaves, now that I've made the plunge into them (oh, wait, that sounds like it would hurt). I have four now, and they are all solid colors, well, except for those dangerous tips and pointy bits. I just went back to pick a favorite, and...I can't. I like them all. Can you recommend one?

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    1. My little nephew in Phoenix made the plunge into one of my brothers big Agaves a couple of years back...it could have been much worse (his eyes were spared), but yes, it hurt!

      Which one...well...how about the first one you find? :) I've read that some people think the A. Shira ito no Ohi (in the red planter) might be hardy for us. I'm a sucker for plain old A. americana 'Variegata' too...of course you know I love them all!

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  6. With my goal of trying to be more Florida Friendly, I am really focusing in on variegated plants and of course including more of the succulents. Great post and photos!!

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    1. Being "Florida Friendly" sounds like an admirable goal!

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  7. You have a fine selection of variegated plants there Loree! I too like variegated plants, with exceptions here and there as with even even 'plain green' plants some are better looking than others. It's great variegation is also prevalent among Yuccas, especially 'Bright Star' which almost glows in the dark!

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    1. Good point...there are some that I just can't stand, like Fatsia Japonica 'spider's web' it just looks sick!

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  8. Sad that you don't have any variegated bamboo. Would look lovely in a pot. Email me.

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  9. I'm variegated out. lol. Living in portland, what type of soil profile do you use to meet the drainage specifications for succulents?

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    1. For the succulents that are in the ground I mix in a lot of grit or pumice and make sure to raise the soil level up considerably, so the water will drain away. For those in containers they get the same grit or pumice mixed in to the point that when the soil is moist I can't squeeze it in my hand and have it stay in a ball, it has so to break away easily...

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  10. I just turned green-eyed and died.

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  11. You definitely have variegation variety up there - here, I'm surprised that in the desert denial section at most local nurseries, they don't have some hostas and aspens with variegation! The range you have is stunning. And of course, you find spiky variegation as well.

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  12. I've been a variegataholic for a long, long time. It is supposed to be a phase and I am supposed to get over it, but it still hasn't happened. Wonderful stripes and splotches! Love the Ginko especially, and we must never, never forget the Agaves, right?

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    1. Oh yes a phase...like my love of spiky plants? And how could we forget the Agaves?

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  13. Worth waiting for with such a nice collection to document. Variegated ginko is fascinating.

    I used 'Plant Lust' over the weekend to locate Santolina 'Lemon Fizz" and the system works great.

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    1. Yay! Thank you for the plant lust report!

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  14. The Phormium is very pretty, and so are all the yuccas. I don't really have a lot of variegated plants in my garden... now I want to add some!

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  15. I don't think I have many variegated plants or yellows either, but if I wrote a blog post, I might discover otherwise! Here in Canada I don't have a single yucca but your choice of yuccas is incredible. I never knew there were such beauties!

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    1. No Yuccas? I don't think I could handle that. You must be really really north?

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  16. You are welcome to post about your variegated plants any time, Loree. I love them all! I have quite a few variegated grasses, agaves, and yuccas myself. ---Pam

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  17. Of course red counts! :) Beautiful plants. I love them all.

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    1. Especially when there is a tinge of hot pink in there too right?

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