Foliage

I was interested to read Christina’s recent post extolling the importance of foliage.  I have found myself in the last year or so beginning to think more about how different foliage works together and my favorite bed in the garden is one where the planting is based entirely on foliage combinations and the flowers come second.  As I said in a recent post I want to move more in this direction in the future.

This is the border at the end of August.  I can’t show you a picture of it now as I have been tidying up and the Jasmine along the wall has had a major thinning!  The ‘theme’ of the border is based around the deep purple of the Actaea simplex foliage.  I have tried to pick this color up with the Japanese Painted Fern (top picture) and also with Iris robusta ‘Dark Aurea’ which has wonderful purple stripes up the leaf stem.

As a contrast to the Actaea and Fern I have planted Kirengeshoma palmata.  As you can see the leaf stalk (photo above) also echos the purple theme and at this time of year the buttery yellow flowers add an extra sparkle.  Also in this border is a yellow rose whose name escapes me but whose flowers are the same shade of yellow as the Kirengeshoma.

I also call this my ‘Spring’ border as it is full of snowdrop and eranthis bulbs. These are followed by some Candelabra Primulas (above) again with a magenta flower and Primula Dark Rosaleen.  Finally the other occupants of the border are Mathisella Green Dream whose foliage I adore, Japanese Anemones another good foliage plant and some hostas with white variegated leaves.

I have learnt quite a lot over the recent years creating this border and I am learning to look at plants more than for their flower color.