Happy Father’s and Foliage Follow-up Day! Thanks to Pam Penick and her blog Digging down in Austin TX for hosting this continued celebration to the monthly Bloom Day. The middle of each month has truly become a plant celebration! Check her link out for more goodies – from her, as well as from all across the globe!
‘Black Lace’ Elderberry in bloom contrasted with the dark green of a Tassel fern.
When I first saw the leaves of Vancouveria hexandra, I thought it was a mega-version of a Maidenhair fern. Not so. It’s another PNW native to which I happily devote a corner of my garden.
Schizophragma hydrangeoides ‘Moonlight’ climbing up my north wall. The flowers look a lot like those of a climbing hydrangea, but the white sepals are pointy instead of rounded which, I think, adds to its elegance.
The bluish green mature foliage makes a pretty backdrop for other plants – and ants.
A newly planted Acacia dealbata next to a Yucca in my hell strip. I hear it’s a rapid grower, and hope it eventually will turn into a rather translucent canopy. I don’t know how many years it will take for it to flower, but its pretty yellow blooms will no doubt look great with a nearby Santolina.
I swear, the blooms of that Yucca reach higher and higher each year. Maybe the adjacent Acacia will dampen its ambition somewhat…
A black bamboo backdrop, Iris confusa, half-eaten Ligularia, and Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’.
Classic combo – hostas and ferns.
Another fern wonder…
Love the red stalks and red-edged spotty leaves of the black Calla lily.
More Calla leaves – this time with the shadow of a Tassel fern silhouetted through the backlit leaves.
The beautiful leaves of a Begonia luxurians – part of a booty from a Garden Blogger’s plant swap earlier this spring. Thank you Peter! (Or was it Alison? Please correct me if I’m wrong…)
I’m usually not too keen on this color against the chartreuse of the foliage…
… but somehow the effect is remedied because of the nearby foliage of this Clematis armandii ‘Appleblossom’.
About a month ago, I subjected this monster climber (which I now am pretty sure is an ‘Etoile de Hollande’) to severe pruning as it was beginning to topple over. The new shoots have this lovely red color…
… and the new foliage is just as stunning.
Finally, can’t post about foliage without a tribute to the soft grace of Mexican Feathergrass. And that, is probably a good place to end. Sorry – this was lengthy!
The Creative Flux 
Nothing wrong with lengthy, especially with lovely foliage shots like yours, Anna. Hostas and ferns are indeed a classic combo and here in the PNW they reign supreme. Your new Begonia luxurians is quite lovely!
Thanks Jane! Yeah, I just love those lush, shady corners. However, I also love those spiky sunlovers! Question is, how/ and where will I fit them in…? Any of your creative expertise is welcome!
You have so many interesting plants! Many of which I can’t grow but I appreciate them nonetheless. Thanks for the tour!
Thanks Jean! I’m lusting after some of the things you have on your Bloom Day post too. That Mango Popsicle is delicious! 🙂
The lighting in this batch of photos is nothing short of majestic, making everything swoon-worthy.
Aw, shucks…
I’m a sucker for Mex feathergrass too — one of my absolute must-haves in any garden. Your Begonia luxurians leaves are especially lovely as well!
Yeah, back-lit feather grass never ceases to amaze me! Such a textural treasure!
That begonia is awesome–but I’m just stunned by the red foliage on that rose. WOW! I never thought that I would consider planting a rose just for its foliage, but that would be an exception. Love it.
Thanks Kim, but it’s just the new growth… eventually it turns green. Plus, the lighting was just right to make it glow, so definitely don’t plant one just because of this photo – you would probably be disappointed! I wrote a feature post on it a few weeks back if you want to see what it really looks like. Can’t wait to see what the begonia does – it was a gift and a new plant for me. Exciting!