Euphorbia characias ‘Silver Swan’
Following on from the flowers we have the foliage and it is at this time of year that you really start to appreciate how important interesting foliage is especially if, like me, you want your garden to have interest all year. One of my favourites is the Euphorbia characias ‘Silver Swan’ which has been liberated from the floppy Cosmos which had subsumed the whole border. Since it has been opened to the sun it has really taken off and is quite glorious. I was reading about this plant back in Spring in The Plantsman and lo and behold when I went to the local DIY store (box store to the US readers) there was a whole batch of them just crying out to be bought. I need to do a little more research on it as I am sure I read that there was some issues with overwintering the variegated Euphorbias.
Melianthus major
The other plant that has benefited from the removal of the annual plants is the Melianthus major which has also come into its own. I have two others but they are in a more shady location and not doing so well so I may have to relocate them. I particularly like the contrast of the young foliage against the older glaucous ones.
Japanese Fern Holly
The Japanese Fern Border has filled out over the last few months and I think I am quite pleased with it. I do wonder if there is a lack of different heights but I think we shall give it another season before I make any real changes.
In fact I have realised that there are rather a lot of ferns in my garden I seem to be unable to resist them but now I want to try to master their names and even how to pronounce them! I really think ferns are underrated as they are so easy and provide a lovely backdrop to flowers and there is bound to be one right for any location you have – even dry shade.
Japanese Painted Fern ‘Burgundy Lace’
Finally I have been admiring the Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’. This poor plant was subjected to my brutal pruning earlier in the year when I was working on the border around it and realised that I had ignored it for too many years and it had grown very leggy. I have a rather gungho approach to horticulture and then to just go for it and hope for the best trusting my instincts. This time they seem to have be right and the Choisya has rewarded me with lots of bright new foliage and signs of flowers to come, which had been lacking in recent years.
Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’
For more foliage follow up posts visit Pam over at Digging
