Oxalis oregana and Heucherella 'Sweet Tea'
I sort of posted a similar pic for GBBD, but this time the focus really is the contasting foliage. Love the effect, the bright green Oxalis and the vibrant orange of the Heucherella...it's electric!
Rodgersia Sambucifolia
I think I was originally drawn to these Rodgersias because of their similarity to Chestnut leaves...love 'em!
Rodgersia podophylla 'Rotlaub'
The newly emerging foliage has the most amazing color...which greens up after a week or so.
Rodgersia podophylla 'Rotlaub' Clump
Here is the expanding clump, you can see the older foliage is greener and the newer foliage has the richest color. I'm pretty excited to see new stems popping up here and there (especially since the plants last year only produced a single stem each!).
Persicaria 'Lance Corporal'
I continue to be very impressed by this plant...the foliage is so beautiful...it does seed around like nothing I've seen before...but that just means I have free plants to move elsewhere and share with friends.
Persicaria 'Red Dargon'
Another Persicaria with foliage that no photo can do justice too...seriously.
Agastache 'Golden Jubilee'
I've posted on this plant so often...but I still love it...especially in the spring garden as a contrast to greener plants.
 |  | Clematis recta purpurea & Geranium 'Ann Folkard' | Cimicifuga 'Hillside Black Beauty' |
Amsonia hubrichtii
I have a few of these, and this is by far the biggest...and also the first one I bought (on Ebay, no less!). It actually has some flower buds forming...which is pretty exciting, but it's the jaw-dropping fall color that sold me on this plant.
Amsonia hubrichtii and Oxalis 'Dark Dancer'
Another, smaller, Amsonia, growing up through a matt of this sun-tolerant Oxalis. I love this little Oxalis growing under and around other things.
Ligularia 'The Roket'
I've wanted one for years and with the backyard finally taking shape, I had a perfect spot for it. I really like the serrated, arrow-shaped leaves and the red stems. We'll see if it flowers this year (probably not), but even without flowers, it's a striking plant.
Polygonatum odoratum
Bought at the Clackamas County Master Gardener's Sale...love the spash of variegation, not too much, just enough for a highight.
Adiantum (Maidenhair Fern)
Words can't express how much I love this little fern. You see them all around Oregon, in moist, wooded habitats. Love the delicate black stems...so wiry and ephemeral.
Astilboides tabularis
The Astilboides is looking like it might make a respectable showing this year! Last year I got some dinner-plate sized leaves...let's cross our fingers for trash-can sized leaves this year!
 |  | Hosta 'Big Daddy' | Knautia macedonica |
Purple Heuchera
I don't know the actual name for this one! This poor thing has been moved so many times, but just keeps on a going.
Euphorbia 'Faded Jeans'
Another regular on my foliage posts...just keeps looking good :-)
Iris 'Gerald Darby'
I was so excited to get one of these at the Yard Garden & Patio show this spring. I planted it a few months ago, and it promptly rotted...I was a little distraught. A few weeks ago, I saw some for sale at the Portland Nursery on Division St. I opted not to get them...thinking it wasn't meant to be. Last weekend, I was out there again, and they had one left, pushed behind all the Iris that were blooming. It was waiting for me...I know it...now, it is mine!
Foeniculum (Bronze Fennel)
I've always grown this plant and always will...love it's big, billowy cloud of darkly divided leaves!
Eupatorium maculatum 'Gateway'
I love Joe Pye Weed A LOT, I might even say it's my favorite plant ever. It's amazingly beautiful, fast-growing and tough as nails. Except for a few months after being cut down in February, it looks good all year. Love the leaves as they unfurl...and I am oddly fascinated by plants whose leaves grow in whorls.
 |  | Impatiens balfourii - Thanks, Derick! | Rheum palmatum tanguticum |
Bracken Fern
These ferns grow everywhere in Portland...I should probably know their real name.
Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eye Sumac'
Lastly, I have my 'Tiger Eye' Sumac...it seems to be more vigorous this year, so I'm hoping it finally makes a decent show. A mature plant can be the hightlight of a border...here's looking at you, Mr. Sumac.
Gorgeous foliage photos, all so marvelously different! You have such an incredible eye for structure and composition in your pictures. That maidenhair fern, the geometric shapes -- ok, I'm speechless. There are only so many superlatives I can use before I start to sound like a wanker.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I agree totally with Alison. This is why we love plants!
ReplyDeleteI planted Ligularia 'The Rock' this spring also. Its extending blooms now, so you might get lucky. Love the fennel also. I included it in my foliage post also.
ReplyDeleteWow! What awesome photos! I love the lighting, textures, colors...beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteWe, you and I have a lot of the same plants but they're at different stages given our individual microclimates. It's fun to see the differences. I'm still waiting for my Impatiens balfouri to sprout. I've grown them for two years now but this year there is nary a seedling to be seen. I'm heartbroken. Dang weather. Great post, as usual.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos of beautiful plants. I'm interested in finding out more about that Oxalis 'Dark Dancer' as I've never seen it around here. Well actually, a lot of your plants won't grow here so therefore I won't see them here! But I'm thinking that one might work.
ReplyDeleteThe Impatiens balfourii looks very happy. You're very welcome.
ReplyDeleteLove your plant choices and your photos of them are excellent! Those persicarias are quite a family - have you tried p amplexicaulis 'Firetail' - flowers forever - or p polymorpha, a fabulous giant? Wish I could grow rodgersia as healthy looking as yours!
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect combination of talents: master gardener, and masterful photographer. Stunning pics all, now tell me just how big does the Big Daddy Hosta get?
ReplyDeleteThere's that burgundy-chartreuse color pairing I keep admiring in Pacific NW gardens. Love the 'Lance Corporal' Persicaria--if you have too many seeds, feel free to send some to Austin. I bet our heat/drought would keep it under control. Like you, I love maidenhair fern's black stems. It even grows wild in central Texas in moist seeps and caves.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. Last February I was searching high and low for Iris 'Gerald Darby' after Nan Ondra/Hayefield rhapsodized about it. Can't wait to see your photos as it matures.
ReplyDeletehttp://hayefield.com/2011/01/19/one-plant-three-seasons-iris-gerald-darby/
Love the sun-tolerant oxalis doing a sedum-thing around plants. Bravo!
Alison: Hahahaha...there are never enough superlatives! I love the Maidenhair Fern...it's such a wonderful mix of geometry and softness!
ReplyDeleteChrisU: Totally!
greggo: I saw that...Fennel Lovers unite!
Rebecca: Thanks!!!
Grace: I know the feeling...even walking (or driving) around town, I really notice the effect of micro-climates. I'll cross my fingers for your Impatiens...and if they don't make it, I should have seedings next year to share - at least if what I hear about their proclivity to self-seed is correct ;-)
Jean: I checked a website quick, and it looks like 'Dark Dancer' is hardy to Zone 4! I have it in half-day of sun and it does really well (it sort of defoliates around autumn, for some reason...could be slugs in my garden). I am thinking of putting it in full sun this year, as I need something low around new perennials.
Mr. Impatiens: Thanks again, you're the best!
Cyndy: I don't have 'Firetail" but I do have 'Taurus', which is very similar...and I love it! I would have said before this weekend that I unfortunately don't have P. polymorpha...but I just found some at a nursery and it's mine now!!! Now I just have to figure out where to put it ;-) My Rodgersias look great now...let's hope they still look good in the height of summer!
Tom: Awww...shucks! Well...It should get about 6' across and about 3' tall...yes...a very impressive plant...not sure how long they usually take to get to that stature...but this one I planted just last spring is already about 4' across and 2' tall...yowza, I'm in love!
Pam/Digging: Hahaha..indeed...I never would have thought of it if you hadn't mentioned it! I will totally send you some seeds this fall...there will be PLENTY!
Denise: That's amazing...that's EXACTLY where I first saw it mentioned too! I was obsessed with finding it this winter...that Nan Ondra is a genius, isn't she!
I'm glad I made it to your foliage post. You sure have a lot of beautiful foliage! I'll have to do a post showing what I think is some kind of perennial foliage that overwintered in a friend's pot that she gave me a nice start of.
ReplyDeleteI almost bought an Agastache 'Golden Jubilee', but the plant didn't look so healthy. If the price had been lower, I may have tried it.
I had to grin about you getting a plant from ebay. I haven't looked there for plants before. I have gotten a lot of train stuff for our 3 year old grandson there before. He has asked my parents before where they got something, and was it ebay? LOL
Your photos are gorgeous illustrations of different foliage shapes, colors and effects... a really beautiful post.
ReplyDelete