As I said in my post on My Garden earlier this week I like big foliage. There is already some examples in the garden such as the Fatsia above which looks wonderful when the sun is thrown the leaves.
The Acanthus mollis also looks great despite the time of year despite the odd hole but as I said I want to add to these with what we shall term ‘hardy exotics’.
My interest in good foliage is apparent when you look at the photographs I took at the Birmingham Botanic Garden this weekend. I was particularly keen on the plants in the Tropical Glasshouse but of course these would not grow in my garden and my greenhouse would only accommodate one specimen. I do wonder though whether I could grow Cycas revoluta (Sago Cycad) which was in the Sub-tropical glasshouse, maybe its a plant I could have outside and overwinter under cover.
I adore this foliage it is so inviting and makes you want to stroke it.
Then there was this wonderful Pelargonium Wantirna foliage. The flowers were rather insignificant compared to the leaves. This is definitely on my ‘wants list’.
However I did spot a few new to me plants with great foliage outside that I can add to the garden, including Euphorbia robbiae, although I need to research this plant as I understand it can be quite invasive.
For my fern collection I fancy the addition of Blechnaceae Blechnum chilense – a very stately and grand looking fern I think you will agree.
Finally, I spotted the plant above which looks like a cross between and ivy and Fatsia. Its Araliaceae x fatshedera lizei ‘Variegated’. Another one to put on the wants list for the hardy exotic border.
Once you start looking beyond the colourful flowers you soon discover that there is a wonderful variety of leaves and of course they last so much longer than the flower, in some cases all year round – whats not to like.
For more Foliage Follow-up posts visit Pam’s blog Digging
