Foliage Follow-up: August 2010

On the sixteenth of every month, Digging sponsors Foliage Follow-up where gardeners can highlight some of the non-blooming aspects of their plants.  And as shady gardeners know, it's the leaves that put on our best show in the limited light.

I have a few Beefsteak Plants (Perilla 'Magilla') that I overwintered from cuttings.  When I replanted them back into the yard, some have struggled (even the one placed back into the same location as the parent plant).  But the ones placed into deeper shade have been quite happy. The green and white leaves (they tend to have more purple with increased light) are supported by reddish stems.

Of course, in any shade garden, Caladiums are always welcome.  This variety is 'White Queen'.  The large white leaves & red veins shine out from the darker parts of the garden.  Without sufficient water, the summer heat tends to wear them down, but they certainly grab one's attention when happy.

Bought on a whim a little over a year ago, the Silver Squill (Ledebouria socialis) has done nicely.  The spotted leaves have purple undersides and are held on purplish stems arising from same-colored bulb-like bases.  It does produce unremarkable flower stalks which attract bees and I'm actually attempting to grow some from the subsequent seeds.

Placed in a pot in one of the sunnier spots on the deck, the Capsicum annuum 'Calico' is my favorite pepper plant.  The variegated foliage even has hints of purple to go with the tiny lavender blossoms which later give way to dark purple (almost black) or red peppers.

Strictly for foliage, one of my favorite Aloes is the Partridge Breast Aloe (Aloe variegata).  Though I don't believe mine has ever bloomed (will have bright red flowers if it ever does), I still love the stiff, variegated leaves that tend to slowly form clumps.

Flowers aren't the only show in town - foliage can certainly add a lot!

Planting Plants: 5/23-5/29

Over the last week, the spiders have been busy weaving their webs (more power to them - may their nets capture all the yard's mosquitoes).  I, too, found time to get a few plants into the ground or into pots.

 

Blue Anise Sage (Salvia guaranitica)  failed me once before, but several recent garden blogs had me itching to try again.  Then I received two plants at the recent Design A Go Go plant swap.  Thanks to Pam from Digging and an unknown contributor (appreciation to both of y'all), I'm getting to try them again.

Pam also remembered me admiring the Blue Elf Aloe posted on her site, and she thoughtfully provided me with one to grow.  It may look a little lonely in its present pot, but I have faith it will eventually fill it in (or perhaps I may have to provide company).

At a recent school plant sale, I got three White Crinum Lilies (planted about the yard), plus some herbs: a couple of Variegated Oregano and a Lemon Thyme.  Using the canopy opening created by the fallen tree, I got the herbs into a pot and placed it in the sunshine.

Another of my Perilla 'Magilla' cuttings went into the front yard, behind the Autumn Ferns (Dryopteris erythrosora) and in front of the Nandina (Nandina domestica).  Should provide some color as it grows.

Decided it was time to put my White Queen Caladium bulbs into the ground.  Seven went into the empty space created by the removal of the fading Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina) - think the soil mixture didn't drain adequately, coupled with not enough sunshine - and seven others went into the hole left by the winter loss of my Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens).  I like using Caladiums to fill in the the voids created by dearly departed plants.

I'm attempting to root some cuttings from trimmings of Cedar Sage (Salvia roemeriana) & Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa).  Both had gotten a little leggy.

And five flavors of Zinnia went into a narrow strip in the sunny spot (near the potted dill, tomato & herbs).  Hoping for some cut flowers (however, even though this is my "sunny" spot, not sure if it will be sufficient for Zinnias - but they are worth a roll of the dice).

Emptied my pots of Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and Spanish Bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica).  I could not seem to keep the first wet enough, and the latter dry enough (though I can see why the Bluebells may be considered invasive; even struggling, its bulbs had tripled in number!).