Thanks to Joene over at joenesgarden, I have just learned about a new opportunity to post photos of my garden – it’s called Foliage Follow-Up (FFU). The inspiration for FFU comes from Pam at Digging . Pam started FFU to give ‘foliage as well as bark, berries, and other non-flowering features a day of celebration. FFU falls on the very day after many garden bloggers celebrate Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.
So, fo my inaugural post for Foliage Follow-Up, I am proud to share some photos from my wintery Connecticut garden…
A few purple berries are still left on my Beautyberry
The leaves of Rainbow leucothoe add color all year long
More foliage of Rainbow leucothoe, I love the creamy variegation
Harbor Dwarf is a new addition to my garden. If it performs well over the spring and summer, I'll definitely be adding more. I love the winter color.
Evergold is another new addition to my garden. It seems happy so far and it easily brightens up a dark corner. And the deer appear to be leaving it alone.
Now head on over to Digging to check out Pam’s Foliage Follow-Up post. And don’t forget to visit the comments section for links to other FFU posts.
Debbie,
Your photos of leucothoe may have just tipped the scales for me … it’s time for closer examination of adding some to my garden borders, especially since deer seem to stroll right by without stopping in for a nibble.
Thanks for the shout out.
joene,
You should definitely try Leucothoe, it’s one of the staple shrubs in my garden. It grows everywhere I have tried it, with the possible exception of dry shade.
Hi Debbie,
Your Nandina looks fantastic! Did you just plant it this year. I love this plant but find I have had mixed results after different winters. I thought wind dessication might be a factor but then, at the Wave Hill visitor’s center their grouping of Nandina is exposed and thriving! But then again, it is Wave Hill! Love your photos!
Whitney,
I planted the Nandina in October so it’s a very new addition. I am anxious to see how it performs throughout the year. It is planted in a very sheltered spot near my house, so the wind should not be an issue. I’m actually a little worried it won’t get enough sun to thrive but I guess only time will tell. And of course, the deer may find it and decide they love the taste even though it’s supposed to be deer resistant.
I’m curious about your Evergold. Is it a mondo grass or something else? It does look like it would light up dark areas. Very nice!
Jean,
Evergold is a cultivar of Carex oshimensis so it is a type of clump-forming sedge which gets to be about 1′ tall and slightly wider. I love yellow-leaved plants since I ifnd they really work well in the shade and I have lots of shade.
Thanks for participating in Foliage Follow-Up, Debbie! You are the second blogger I’ve visited today showing off beautiful leucothoe, which I am unfamiliar with. I finally had to do a little Internet research on this plant to see what I’ve been missing, and now I know why: it prefers acid soil and regular, even moisture. Nope, none of that in my alkaline, hot, dry garden. Oh well, I’m happy to enjoy it on your blog.
Pam,
Thanks for hosting FFU. I’m pleased you enjoyed the pictures of my Leucothoe, a staple in my highly acidic garden. It thrives here alongside my rhododendron, azalea and blueberries – all acid loving plants.
While many gardeners don’t care for Leucothoe, I’ve had those shrubs in my photos for almost 15 years and I still love them. They are truly low-maintenance. I prune them alot because they are planted too close to the walkway but that’s a siting problem that I plan to address soon. Once they are planted in the proper place I don’t anticipate having to do any pruning other than taking out dead branches.
Love the leucothoe! I had thought it wouldn’t work this far north for some reason – wrong again! Is Evergold maybe a relative of carex ‘Ice dance’?
gardeningasylum,
I find Leucohtoe very versatile but I know other gardeners have not had the same results. According to the UCONN plant database, Luecothoe is zoned for zones 4 – 6 so you should be able to grow it in your neck of the CT woods too.
You have a good eye, ‘Evergold’ is related to ‘Ice Dance’ but I think the blades are narrower and less upright in habit.
[...] The crisp white edges seem to yellow a bit in winter, but still it remains pretty all year long. Debbie has a close relative, ‘Evergold’, in her garden. Very happy in the part sun, damp [...]