Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Foliage Follow-Up April 2014

First it was the flowers and now it's the turn of the foliage as we join Pam Penick of Digging as she hosts the Foliage Follow-Up, a celebration of foliage plants that fascinates this month in the garden.

Here's a few of ours...

Like butterflies rising from the ground - Jeffersonia diphylla
Usually we grow plants mainly for their foliage and the flowers are just a bonus. This one I'd say 50/50, I equally like both foliage and its flowers - Scopolia carniolica
Four foliage in one photo - Kniphofia northiae, Trachycarpus princeps, Sedum spathulifolium 'Purpureum' and 'Cape Blanco'
Various ground ferns are currently busy unfurling fronds and sending out new growth. They look extra interesting at this stage.

This photo reminds me of a mob of meerkats...

Onoclea sensibilis, the sensitive fern sprouting wherever it wants, in between other plants, which we like!


Back in the day I used to collect Cordylines. Colder winters have changed that but I'm finding that spark again. This was one of our purchases last weekend and was simply labelled as Cordyline australis which is more than that. It reminded me of what I used to have called 'Eurostar'. More about this cordyline and my former collection in a future blog post.
And so glad this wasn't badly damaged by the fire last year...
Kalopanax septemlobus - we have several leaf forms in the garden and this one is what I unofficially call a 'Fatsia' leaf form
For more about our Kalopanax septemlobus collection with its different leaf forms check out my blog post about them - The Allure of The Kalopanax

For more beautiful foliage plants do check out Pam's blog!

Mark :-)

25 comments :

  1. Gorgeous foliage, and as usual, a handful of plants that I've never heard of. When I lived in Massachusetts we had lots of sensitive fern growing wild in our lawn. I am also glad that your Kalopanax wasn't killed by the fire. Looks like an interesting plant.

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    1. Thanks Alison! The Kalopanax used to have a lovely symmetry to it but it's growing slightly one sided now due to branch die back but it should recover nicely and regain most of its old symmetry :)

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  2. Your descriptions made me smile: butterfly foliage and a mob of meerkats! I love it. Thanks for joining in the foliage celebration.

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  3. Hello Mark and Gaz:

    The longer we gardened, and the more serious we became, the more we valued the effect of leaf and form over flower in the garden. If we were to start all over again, we very much doubt that we should have much in the way of colour, apart from green, at all. It would be hard to do, but satisfying, we think.

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    1. Same sentiments here Jane and Lance. I know when we started we immediately went for mainly ornamental foliage plants but the more we get into gardening we appreciate them even more, with refinement in tastes of course :) or at least we think!

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  4. Beautiful foliage combinations here. I didn't know the collective noun for meerkats was mob. We live and learn...

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    1. Thanks Sarah! We didn't know too so googled it first :)

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  5. Oho, and I thought "mob" was just your inventive way of saying there were lots of them. Should have known better.

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    1. I admit to checking on google first Ricki :)

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  6. Ha! Can definitely see the meerkats! I have become rather addicted to ferns, lucky I have a lot of shade.

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  7. So much beautiful foliage! I'm hunting for Kniphofia northiae because that foliage is fab. You inspired me to get my first Kalopanax last fall and it's proven tough as nails by surviving our winter above ground in a small pot.

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    1. Glad you got one Peter, yes it's a hardy and tough plant :)

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  8. It's really exciting in your yard at this time of the year. Mine is starting out with some now. Well it did last week and then snowed on it. Yours is already looking great with all the new growth spurting up all over.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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    1. Hopefully that snowfall would be the last one and spring will be in full swing in your area Cher :)

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  9. Some great foliage here ! So full of promise, especially the fern fronds which look primeval. I take it everything has made it through the winter ? I don't think we have lost anything this year which is a great relief. Do you grow Tetrapanax ? That has made it through the winter with leaves intact, unbelievably!

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    1. Yes Jane :) it has been an exceptionally mild winter, wouldn't it be nice if that's the norm from then onwards?

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  10. I enjoy sooooo much unfurling fronds :).

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  11. hoopy frondiness, love the Jeffersonia diphylla, that has just gone on the ever expanding wishlist. I sometimes think your posts should come with a wallet warning ;-) Did you ever work out where you got the Scopolia carniolica from?

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    1. Happy to show new plants Janet! I know one of the scopolias came from Beeches nursery but I don't know which of the two colours. Still trying to remember where we got the other one.

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  12. As a fellow foliage lover, I enjoyed this post! I am fascinated by fern fronds as they unfurl. Your description of them is perfect!

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    1. Quite magical to see them in the spring Debs!

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  13. There is so much life happening at your house! You must be so excited.

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