This is the time of year when we cherish the first daffodil or tulip blooms.
We go gaga over the blooming magnolia trees.
We get all sorts of jacked up seeing the pansies blooming again.
They are all a reminder that the doldrums of winter are gone and better days lie ahead.
Good times.
However, for this goofball, the emerging foliage of my many perennials floats my boat more than anything else. Every morning is a chance to see what has developed overnight. New perennial foliage always looks so vibrant and healthy. No mildew to deal with yet. No crisping of foliage from days and days of dry weather.
It is all good.
As I surveyed my gardens today, I eyed up the daffodil blooms a bit but as expected, my focus was on foliage, foliage and more foliage. And here is a sampling for you:
Heuchera 'Blackout' looking good, especially when backed by Summer Snowflake foliage:
Sedum foliage always emerges so quickly and is a great foil to all other foliage it hangs out with:
The foliage color on Penstemon 'Husker's Red' never looks more ... ummmm ... red ... than it does in early spring:
The Astilbe, always a personal fave:
Too much yellow foliage can permanently distort your vision, but Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate' is a tough SOB, so she gets to stick around:
Nepeta (Catmint) 'Walker's Low' never lets me down and fills in bare spots almost overnight:
Lady's Mantle will soon edge the bulk of one of my garden beds and I look forward to their emergence each and every year:
Call me crazy, but Monarda (Bee Balm) and their square stems and minty sent scream Spring to me:
How's your foliage doin?
John
