Foliage Follow-Up: Celebrating Chartreuse!

For this month's Foliage Follow-Up Post, I decided to focus on one type of foliage, chartreuse foliage! I know it's one of those colors that you either love or hate, and I'm firmly in the love camp.


Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eyes'
There is something so wonderful about this color...it just GLOWS in a garden! Can you imagine this scene without the Sumac? It would be way less effective. It's in such great contrast to everything else.


Oxalis 'Iron Cross'
Maybe it's because it seems like such a fresh color, it reminds me of new, spring growth, who knows. One thing is for certain, it's most effective when paired with darker colors, like in this Oxalis, which does the work for me, with it's amazing two-tone foliage.


Origanum vulgare 'Aureum'
Most chartreuse foliage is at its best in cooler weather. This Origanum, for example, tends to fade a bit in hot sun (last year it actually scorched quite a bit). Luckily, it's so vigorous, that I just trimmed off the tatty bits and it looked fresh and new!


Hakonechloa
And, of course, few colors light up a shady spot like chartreuse, as in this Hakonechloa.


Persicaria 'Lance Corporal'
Another plant with built-in contrast, Persicaria 'Lance Corporal'. I love this plant almost to an absurd degree...it's so easy-going, thriving in sun or shade (although it too can scorch in hot weather). It reseeds like nothing I've ever seen, so you always have some to share.

Of course, chartreuse is most noticeable when paired with other plants...as on the left, it becomes a highlight of the border. On the right, one of my favorite plants, Agastache 'Golden Jubilee', which is so easy to please. It's stunning during the entire year, offering gorgeous foliage and blooms...and even in death, has a wonderful skeleton during winter...and finches love it's seeds. Again, I'm a little predictable in that I've paired it with a plant with contrasting, darker leaves...in this case Aster 'Prince'.


Geranium 'Ann Folkard'
A stalwart in my garden, 'Ann Folkard' never fails to thrill me. The foliage is a screaming chartreuse in the spring, although it can green out a bit by fall. If you ever find that it is sprawling, you can cut it back for a fresh flush of new growth (well, technically you can, I've never had luck trying this).

Of course, you can hardly talk about chartreuse foliage without mentioning good old Sedum 'Angelina'. She's a garden workhorse...looking good all year long, especially in winter when she is suffused with red and orange highlights. One of the newer chartreuse plants in my garden, on the right, is Persicaria 'Golden Arrow'. Not only is the foliage gorgeous, but it blooms nonstop from June to frost. Unlike most Persicarias, however, it really needs partial shade (preferably dappled shade) as the large leaves scorch easily in hot sun.


I find that I have to restrain myself from planting too many chartreuse plants together...here, you can see, however, that spaced out, they are highlights in the garden...and bring together their own form of cohesion.


What about you, are you a chartreuse fan or foe? Either way, check out Pam Penick's Digging for more Foliage Follow-Up Posts :-)