Thanks to Christina at myhesperidesgarden for inspiring me to look at the foliage in my garden. I have to admit I am a flowers kind of girl. I’ve never really been a fan of the minimalist, lots of green, gardens. I can appreciate the calming influence of green in a space and also how it provides a backdrop for flowers to show off but I just find these, so-called tasteful gardens, a bit boring. When there are so many plants and more importantly plants that produce flowers and fruits why would you restrict yourself.
It was only really when we bought our first house and I had my first garden that I realised that foliage too, could be beautiful and interesting. It seems that Autumn is the season for foliage. Leaves turning colour as the daylength shortens and the leaves stop producing chlorophyll, so that a rich palette of colours is displayed.
Acer - don't know which variety though
Then there is Arum italicum which unfurls new spear-like leaves now. It seems such a strange thing to do, as the rest of the garden slips into dormancy to withstand the worst of the winter weather, this little plant decides to poke out from the soil, with it’s intriguing marbled foliage.
Arum italicum
I love this grass, Anemanthele lessoniana and how it’s leaves turn from green to beautiful autumnal colours as season progresses. If they move in the wind they look like the flickering flames in my woodburner.
I think fatsias are great plants. The beautiful glossy, dark green leaves and the cream ribs provide a great contrast at this time of year. If every plant in the garden was turning orange and red the eye wouldn’t be able to appreciate them, so a little green helps these plants stand out.
Then there is Parthenocissus or Virginia Creeper which has turned my fence into a smouldering mix of reds, oranges and yellows.
Virginia creeper and the glorious red fruit of my crab apple
I too am a flowers kind of girl, though I’m learning more and more to appreciate foliage. There’s some stunning colours around in autumn which are a match for any flower.
I like the Fatsia too. Ours is flowering at the moment.
These are looking fabulous. Lovely colours. I went md and hard pruned a lot of my shrubs a few weeks ago – so not a lot ot photograph. I can’t be without my Fatisa in the front garden though it’s such a lovely plant and the leaves are great for flower arrangine
I suspect our garden was getting too, too tasteful for words, colour ways anyway. Trying to add a bit more seasonal color now. I think your last picture is inspiring in terms of autumn colour.
I’m a fellow Fatsia fan, and agree that they make an excellent backdrop for the more assertively coloured plants. Stunning arum leaves.
There is some beautiful colour out there at the moment. I am mourning the loss of my fatsia which had outgrown its spot but proved to be too big for transplanting. As you suggest though there is always room for green so will be seeking a replacement. Your crab apple is a star
We all like flowers but often tend to overlook foliage which we should appreciate more than we do! xx
Welcome to GBFD, even if you are a bit late, it was worth the wait! I wasn’t thinking of foliage gardens when I started this meme, but how foliage adds the backbone to the flowers. Very few plants flower for more than a month or so bu the foliage can be present all year or be different in different seasons. My silver and grey leaved plants are the main interest in my garden in August because it too hot for many plants to flower, they’re hibernating in mid-summer. This summer was a bit different as we had a wet July and so many more plants were blooming in August. The silvers shimmer in summer heat and glow in the cooler weather of spring and autumn. Christina
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