African Garden + work

Foliage Followup: May 2010

Pam, at Digging, suggests we celebrate the beauty of foliage every month on the 16th. I'm a day late because I've been so busy working in the garden. These are the days to savor, with highs in the 60sF and no mosquitoes yet. The photo above shows Corylus 'Red Majestic' at its most red. The foliage color fades to dark green during the heat of summer. Behind it is Hosta 'Candy Hearts.' The following is just a random sampling of some of the foliage happenings here at Squirrelhaven.
Recently, I was looking for photos of the foliage of Gillenia/Porteranthes trifoliata (bowman's root) and noticed I didn't have any before it displayed autumn coloration.

That's really a shame, as it is such an attractive plant.
My favorite full-sun foliage plant, Eryngium 'Jade Frost.'

It sports violet-blue flowers in summer and is drought tolerant.
With all the rain the Chicago area has been getting, I've been inspired by raindrops on foliage. Here's Phlox paniculata 'Starfire,' next to the plain green leaves of Phlox paniculata 'David.'

Cotinus 'Ancot' (Golden Spirit™)

Heuchera 'Frosted Violet' with Viola 'Mars' in the background

chartreuse and purple:

Aquilegia 'Woodside Strain' and Actaea/Cimicifuga 'Hillside Black Beauty'
Hosta 'Krossa Regal' and Polyganatum biflorum/commutatum? (Solomon's Seal)

A close up of the Polyganatum

Painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum)

Hosta plantaginea and friend

Finally, a cool looking leaf on Lily 'Cobra.'

If this is a symptom of a disease, someone please tell me. In the meantime I'll just enjoy it.