Garden Bloggers Foliage Day (GBFD) is hosted monthly on the 22nd by Christina at Creating my own garden of the Hesperides. For the past two months my sun scorched foliage was largely uninspiring, but October brings a new perspective to the garden.
When I visited my cousin last weekend in the N.C. mountains she sent me home with a huge hydrangea, rooted especially for me from one that stood at my grandmother’s back stoop and filled my childhood self with delight many years ago. I planted it against the fence on the south border near some trees, where it should get morning sun and afternoon protection.
Hydrangea macrophylla (from my grandmother’s)
Nearby and around the corner Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ is switching to autumn color.
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)
Much of the foliage of interest in the garden at this time of year comes from a flush of growth from plants that died back or fared poorly in the summer heat. Fresh leaves on columbine, candytuft, Lamb’s Ear, yarrow and iris all add to the garden’s recovery.
Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine)
Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
Iris germanica (Bearded iris) and Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
I am excited to see Anemone coronaria returning, though this is not spreading as I had hoped.
Anemone coronaria
A couple of different Chrysanthemums bring not only beautiful flowers this time of year but also some welcome green.
Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum)
Chrysanthemum with Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
Veronica spicata ‘Pink Goblin’ (Speedwell) does not bloom well in its current location but after several years it is forming a nice mat of ground cover which I would like to extend to other areas of the borders.
Veronica spicata ‘Pink Goblin’ (Speedwell)
Betula nigra (River Birch) and Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) are front yard trees with interesting bark.
Betula nigra (River Birch)
Betula nigra (River Birch)
Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle)
I bought another Iris domestica (blackberry lily) in early summer but never got it planted. Looks like it really wants to survive. Also, see how green the fescue grass is? After aerating and reseeding, it no longer resembles its brown-patchy self from August.
Iris domestica (blackberry lily)
Hedychium coronarium has bloomed poorly this year, but continues to form flower buds. The leaves are quite beautiful. I think I will move part of it to another location where it can have more water.
Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)
Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)
Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’ brings reliable color and texture to the garden throughout all seasons.
Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’ (Ascot Rainbow Spurge)
Planted along the corner of the front porch Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ is a great evergreen shrub for year-round enjoyment and has late winter, sweet-scented flowers as well.
Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ (Winter daphne)
Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ (Winter daphne)
To wrap up today’s foliage review I chose this gardenia hip. The orange color will deepen in the coming days.
Gardenia hips – Gardenia jasminoides
Many thanks to Christina at Creating my own garden of the Hesperides for reminding us the important part foliage plays in our gardens. Check out her foliage and that of other gardeners across the globe.
pbmGarden 
loved the Betula nigra (River Birch). the bark is stunning
Thanks Steve. I like that tree immensely.
It must be so nice to see green again. Lately the summers seem to have been filled with brutal stretches of dry and I find it very depressing. I’m surprised the daphne and euphorbia are doing so well, I would love to be able to grow either as successfully!
Green is indeed nice to see. It’s one thing for thing to be brown in winter but it shouldn’t happen in summer. We were fortunate here to have a lot of rain in spring and early summer, but by the end of July we entered one of those long stretches where it was hot and dry for over a month.
It is all so different now, I’m very envious of the Daphne I would love to grow it. Thanks for contributing this month Susie.
Perhaps Daphne would work for you if you can provide it a little shade. It seems not to need much water and in fact, I was told when I bought it not to water it but once.
That must be where I’m going wrong. Too much rain. Mine is very straggly in comparison.
We had a lot of rain earlier in the year but these daphne are planted in front of the house (east side), a little bit protected by the eaves.
I shall look out for the oak leaved hydrangea. I’m growing one called burgundy, which is very pretty this year. I’m also growing the daphne. Such a glorious scent in the winter.so welcome when it’s cold. Thanks for sharing.
This Oakleaf Hydrangea pouted in August when we had heat and no rain, but it has recovered nicely. I’ll check out your burgundy one. Would be nice to have another.
Your new Hydrangea looks as though it’s settling in nicely, Susie. I love all the fresh new foliage you’re getting too – we’ve yet to see much of that here.
Fingers crossed I can keep the hydrangea going. The young foliage looks spring-like almost. I felt you’d have been right at home here yesterday as we watched rain clouds develop, then pass us right by.
I don’t think my columbine foliage ever colors up like that. I’ll have to go give it a closer look.
PS – love the Oakleaf Hydrangea.
Most of my columbine foliage is still green but we are just beginning to have some cooler weather. It was 85F last week. It has taken several years for the oakleaf hydrangea to fill out. This is the best color its had.
Beautiful details of fine foliage and bark, the black iris seeds held in papery cases are fascinating.
Hi Kate, thanks for your comment. When I first glimpsed the blackberry iris seeds I thought they might work well in a flower arrangement but they might be a bit past. Susie
It looks so lovely and green Susie. I also love that Oakleaf hydrangea, and that beautiful Euphorbia too. 🙂
Hope the green lasts a bit longer but we had frost warnings last night. I didn’t notice any damage but am bracing for the colder weather. The Oakleaf hydrangea is finally coming into its own after several years. Very happy with it after I moved it where it could reach more sun.
You have so much lovely new growth and how green is your grass, it looks wonderful. It could almost be a second spring in your garden!
Thanks Pauline. The fresh greens are springlike. That grass is fescue, a cool-season grass. We’ve just had to reseed it after the hot, humid summer.