Fabulous (New) Foliage Follow-Up

After debating what to plant in shade bed at the back of the house I finally decided on Mahonia 'Soft Caress', Japanese Aralia, a small Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum) and Creeping Jenny. I always try to do my due diligence and research a plant before planting and I happened to have a wonderful resource in a local Texas garden blogger, Pam Penick from Digging, who had featured the Mahonia and Japanese Maple on her blog. It is nice to know how a plant will perform in your area. The established Autumn Ferns were planted in a circle in anticipation of planting a tree in the middle. Please excuse the lovely garden hose we are using as edging in the "before" picture.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

As you can see this area gets dappled light and it only gets morning sun. In the afternoon it is in full shade.

Japanese Aralia

I love the large, glossy leaves on the Aralia. They remind me of a houseplant.

Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum)

 The Japanese Maple should be beautiful when it turns red in the Fall.

Mahonia 'Soft Caress'

 The Mahonia resembles Cousin Itt and is doing a great job catching the leaves from the Oak trees. While researching this plant I found out it is related to Nandina. Hopefully, with its soft foliage it will be just as tough.

Chocolate Ball Stonecrop Sedum

 I was smitten with this Stonecrop from the second I saw it. It has a coppery, red color to it and is extremely delicate. I was thinking of planting it between flagstone, however I think I might have rethink that decision. It looks like a plant that might stand up to our Texas heat in the Summer. I guess I will find out:)


Thank you to Pam Penick for hosting Foliage Follow-Up. This past Winter I definitely realized how important evergreen foliage is to a garden.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Foliage Follow-Up January 2012

It was a beautiful day to get out in garden and snap some photos for Foliage Follow-Up hosted by Pam Penick at Digging. We haven't started landscaping yet, so this will give me a good idea of needs to stay in the garden and what might have to go. 

These Crinum Lilies have been in this garden for 30 years plus. They were a pass along from my Grandmother. These have such sentimental value to me so these are definitely staying. 

This is another pass along from my Grandmother. I love the delicate white flowers on it. I don't have an ID on it, so If anyone knows the name I would love to know it. Here is another picture of it.

I have a ton of Four o'clocks coming up from seed. They seem to love the cooler weather. They are starting to take over so some of them might have to go.

The impatiens I planted in a container this past summer are also loving this cooler weather. They seem to be doing well with neglect.

I planted this coral vine this past summer. I love the heart shaped leaves on it. 

Also planted this past summer was a bottle brush bush. There haven't been any blooms, but I still love the foliage. It kinda reminds me of an olive tree.

The diamond frost is still going after a long, hot summer. Here it is peeking through a spider lily.

I love this firecracker plant/bush. It is huge!! No blooms this past summer, but I love the fern like look of it.

This plant was difficult to get established, but now it seems very happy where it is.  Unfortunately, some of it might have to go. Here is a wide shot of it.

Gotta love annuals for some color. I love the gray and pink color on this kale.

Thanks for joining me in a walk around my garden. We have a lot of work to do this spring.