It’s not just that we have wonderfully coloured flowers everywhere in May, the foliage isn’t bad either! Everywhere is still looking so fresh and the leaves are every bit as good as the flowers in some cases. Quite a few weeds have crept into the photos, but my last post explains why there hasn’t been time to eradicate them!
Candelabra Primula
The foliage of the candelabra primulas in the bog garden, is almost like a lettuce! At this time of year they are so fresh and plumped up with all the rain we have had over the past couple of weeks.
Rogersia.
I love the early foliage of the Rogersia in the bog. It looks so metallic with a bronze/copper colour to the leaves when they first appear, they eventually go green unfortunately, I wish they would stay like this.
Astilbe and lemon balm.
Astilbe foliage a bit further along the border is contrasting nicely with the lemon balm behind it. The lemon balm has put itself there without any help from me – do I let it stay or do I weed it out, as it seeds everywhere round the garden?
Hosta Snowden.
All the hostas are now unfurling their beautiful leaves, this one is Hosta Snowden. It is surrounded by primulas but I can see a buttercup has sneaked into the photo! One day I will have everywhere weeded!
Hostas and ferns.
Astible, ferns and hostas go so well together. This is further along in the bog, the other side of the little path which cuts through the rhododendron bed to make weeding easier. The hosta in front is H. Halcyon and the fern is my favourite Matteuccia struthiopteris.
Hosta, heuchera and stipa.
Moving round to the bed round the alpine scree, there is Heuchera Marmalade, Hosta Devon Blue and what was Stipa arundinacea but is now I believe, Anemiathele lessioniana!
Horse Chestnut
In the woodland is the new growth on an old stump of Horse Chestnut, at the moment it looks very pretty, but if I want the stump to die, I will have to remove them all. A shame I know, but I really don’t need yet another Horse Chestnut tree!
Heuchera in the woodland.
Heuchera Key Lime Pie is looking very bright in the woodland with its new foliage, it is in front of what was Dicentra spectabilis but now I think Lamprocapnmos spectabilis.
Actinidia kolomikta
Climbing the wall of the house is Actinidia kolomikta and its leaves are now showing their different colours, with leaves like these you wouldn’t think the plant would need flowers, but it has tiny white ones which hang down under the leaves.
Actinidia kolomikta
The best view of it though, is from the balcony where you can see it from on top.
Acanthus mollis.
Acanthus mollis didn’t die down in the winter so the leaves are still looking beautiful. I have to keep an eye on this as it is taking over the area just by the pond, a firm hand will be needed.
Japanese painted fern and golden grass.
In the bog garden Athyrium niponicum Pictum is contrasting with a golden sedge.
Matteuccia struthiopteris.
Matteuccia struthiopteris is catching the morning light at the end of the bog garden.
Hosta, asilbe and Lysimachia.
A hosta given by a friend with Astilbes either side and one stem of Lysimachia punctata Fireworks. This stem and roots will be removed , the Lysimachia is a thug, it puts out runners and comes up 20 or 30 ft away!
Lysimachia punctata Firecracker
This is the original plant, contrasting with the Euonymus behind it, I just wish it were better behaved, it relishes my heavy clay soil! The ones in the background have been pulled out, but how long will it be before they pop up again!
Solomon’s seal,Hart’s tongue fern and Epimedium.
This little group always pleases me, but I think a bit of editing is needed. This is the path through the rhrododendron bed and in some places it is getting difficult to walk through to do the weeding.
Brunnera with Hemerocallis foliage
In the bed round the scree, Brunnera Jack Frost is sheltering under the arching leaves of Hemerocallis.
Heuchera and two different ferns
Just behind the scree, in the shade of Prunus Kojo-no-mai, is a Heuchera Vienna with the fern Athyrium nipponicum pictum either side, then at the front is Athyrium Frizelliae, the tatting fern. Yes, I can see the dandelion leaf too, it will be dealt with!
Cotinus
Catching the setting sunlight in the back garden is a Cotinus bush.
Cardoon
I’m so glad I managed to rescue my Cardoon which was being swamped by the hedge behind it, the leaves now make a real statement in this border by the field. The foliage is a bit messy by the time it flowers, I have read that by cutting off the flower spikes, the foliage should stay looking nice, but can I bring myself to cut the huge thistle heads off, I don’t know, I might just try it this year and see what happens!
Acer palmatum Shindeshojo
I couldn’t finish a foliage day without including my new Acer palmatum Shindeshojo. The spring colour is as it is now, it then turns green for the summer and then to red/orange for the autumn. I haven’t planted it yet but have just the space for it where it will fit nicely with the planting around it.
Bog garden.
I will finish with a view of the bog garden, there are just a few flowers so far, but there is also plenty of interest from the different foliage. Just as the woodland was the first part of the garden that I went to each day from Jan to April, this is where I will be heading first, for the next few months.
Thanks to Christina at My Hesperides Garden for encouraging us to value the foliage in our gardens and for hosting this meme each month. Please pay her a visit to see more interesting foliage around the world.
To say” as always wonderful” doesn’t do justice to your skill as a gardener. Every month your garden reveals such treasures; whether it is beautiful flowers or stunning foliage. Your planting combinations add so much to the already exquisite plants. On the Chelsea coverage they were asking for people to send in photographs of their gardens, Monty and Joe were deemed mean when they didn’t award ‘golds’ to the gardens they commented on; I think if they saw yours it would rate “Best in Show”. Now I must go back as I didn’t receive your last post to find out what you have been doing!
Christina, you are too kind!! I really don’t deserve such lovely comments. I suppose it is the artistic side of me that comes out when I’m planting, I was an artist for years before starting to teach woodcarving, I found that design skills are the same for any medium. There weren’t any such things as Garden Designers when I left school or for many years after that. If I had my time over again, I think I would like to be a garden designer as that would incorporate my love of painting with my love of plants. As I’m now well into my 70s I think it’s too late for me to start training!
Hosta ‘Snowdon’ is fabulous. I’ve been looking for more blue/silver hostas. Hope I can find this one!
It is a lovely hosta but grows rather large, I think I will have to move some of the primulas that are near it.I hope you manage to find it.
Your heuchera are wonderful Pauline. I remember when you showed a photo of many waiting to go in the ground. I like the strong foliage of the cardoon. The bog garden looks like a wonderful destination each morning.
Most of the Heucheras have been planted Susie, but a couple are still languishing in their pots, poor things, I really must plant them! The Cardoon was almost killed by the hedge growing over it, I’m so glad I cut the hedge back in time and it is now almost back to how it used to be.
The bog garden looks superb. I love the large leaves of the acanthus and the cardoon. I have acanthus and it’s impossible to get rid of. I do love it but wish I’d never planted it.
Acanthus can be a problem Catmint, so far I’ve dug pieces out and managed to give them away complete with a warning as to their wandering tendencies! As the weeks go by, the bog garden will get more colourful with the primulas, astilbes, iris and zantedescia. I was amazed when planting it how many plants there were which actually love wet soil!
So much going on there Pauline. I almost cried at the sight of your Actinidia – both my young plants have been completely ruined by the late frosts! I even had flower buds. Gutted to say the least!
On a cheerier note – the new Acer is a beauty isn’t it? Love the bog garden, it’s just waiting to burst into bloom.
Oh Angie, I feel for you, having both your Actinidia ruined by frost. Are they showing any sign of life, do you think they will survive?
Each day means that the bog garden has more flowers opening, there are fat buds everywhere, so it shouldn’t be too long now before it is at its best.
Your new Accer is so lovely Pauline! I am dithering about whether to plant a new one, but just can’t decide which one I like best. This one really does have beautiful spring colour as a bonus. Any idea how large it will get?
Thank you Cathy, I’m glad you like it, it is rather pretty isn’t it! According to the label it will only get to 6 ft so I hope it is accurate!
I love all of the planting combinations that you have made, the contrasts look spectacular and everyone of them is a wonderful little vignette. The Actinidia is certainly one of the most brash of the plants – I think it’s splendid!
Thank you Matt for your lovely comments! The Actinidia certainly stands out in the garden, I love it!
I second and third Christina’s comment….you can clearly see your talent as an artist in your stunningly beautiful garden.I just look forward to the endless gems you will show…an eternal work of art, with a little help from nature.xxx
Dina, you and Christina are too kind! If you could see all the weeds that have grown while we have been going to the hospital each day, you may think differently! I don’t do much painting now, I paint with plants instead, the trouble is they keep changing and need attention, they don’t stay the same like a painting would!
Thank you for showing us such wonderful foliage combinations. The hostas and ferns and the hosta, heuchera and stipa may be my favorites, but all are remarkable. And, Pauline, I had to search for that dandelion leaf!
It’s strange isn’t it Deb, when taking the photographs you don’t notice the odd weed that has managed to be included, but when posting it on the blog, it stands out like a sore thumb, to me anyway! I’m glad you like the hosta combinations.
Oh some lovely leafiness going on in your garden Pauline and so many eye-catching combinations! I know what you mean about lemon balm – mine is planted at the allotment 🙂
Thank you Anna, it seems that everything is bursting forth at the moment! I like the lemon balm and use it for teas and ice cream, but just wish it didn’t pop up everywhere!
Gorgeous Pauline and some parts are like a home from home although you have greater variety and your planters are more mature. I don’t think I have room for much else in the garden now and of course they are getting bigger! Interesting to read what you said about lemon balm as I found some here yesterday which appeared out of nowhere as if I have had it previously it must have been years ago! I like the look of the Snowdon hosta too, one to look out for. Your new acer is lovely 🙂
ps did you know that your blog has been asking for names and email address or blog again (at least for me) for the last couple of months? I know other blogs sometimes have that problem when they are not recognising regular commenters
I enjoyed seeing so much wonderful foliage especially those heucheras….and that view of the bog garden was a treat too. I was surprised to see my candelabra primulas were back this year.
Thank you donna, I’m glad you enjoyed them. The bog garden is certainly waking up, with more flowers out each day. I’d be very disappointed if my candelabra primulas failed to appear, they make such a splash of colour for quite some time.