The Beauty is in the Details
Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 4:50PM
Deborah Elliott in Japanese maple, dogwood, ferns, front garden, joy of gardening, plants, spring, spring flowers, variegated foliage

This is a view toward my front garden, taken near the side walk by the patio:

I enjoy such views immensely, but when I am strolling through a garden, sometimes the greatest pleasure comes from examining plants close up, often discovering delightful, unexpected details.

For example, at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, there is a flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, near the entrance. Ho-hum. There are lots of dogwoods. No point in giving this one more than a glance. 

No, stop! Look close! This one is different, a rare double flowering one, 'Pluribracteata':

I wonder how many visitors walked past this tree and never saw the unusual blooms?

In my own garden there are several varieties of Cornus florida. I love this pink flowering one:

My favorite dogwood has to be Cherokee Sunset, with red blooms and fabulous variegated foliage:

I have never seen a variegated plant I didn't love. When a plant has beautiful foliage, it doesn't need flowers to impress me! Here is a sampling of some of the variegated plants in my garden:Top row: Caladium 'Candyland'; Variegated fig. 2nd row: Two types of toad lilies. While waiting for flowers enjoy the foliage! Tricyrtis affinis 'Lunar Landing' and Tricyrtis hirta 'Variegata'. 3rd row: Variegated Jacobs Ladder; Pieris japonica. 4th row: Unlabeled plant, but I think it is a Dracaena, also called Corn Plant; Silver lace fern, Pteris ensiformis.

Variegated Weigela is a plant with both variegated foliage and flowers. Sweet as candy!

I have lost count of the Japanese maples in my garden. The number has risen above 15, I know. Here are a handful. Examining the leaves, I fall in love all over again.Clockwise from top left: 'Butterfly'; unnamed tree that grew from seedling; 'Viridis'; 'Sango-Kaku'

Ferns are always worth a close look for interesting details:Clocwise from top left: Birds Nest Fern; Japanese Painted Fern; Holly Fern - note the spores; Lady Fern

Despite my love of foliage, I don't want to overlook the flowers. Here are a few worth a closer look. The purple clematis is H.F. Young, a good one for either sun or shade:Top row: Rosa mutabilis, also called Butterfly Rose. These single roses have an artless simplicity, but the flowers offer a variety of colorations. 2nd row: Lonicera simpervirens, a native honeysuckle that hummingbirds love. 3rd row: I just planted H. F. Young Clematis in the woodland garden. It is more purple than I expected, but I don't mind at all. I like the stripes on the back!

And finally, here are a couple of photos that sum up what spring is about: New birth!Left: Emerging flowers of an amaryllis; I discovered last year that these are hardy in my zone 7b/8a, and I am delighted to see these emerging and blooming! Right: Newly emerging foliage of spreading yew.

Happy gardening, and enjoy the details!  Deborah

Article originally appeared on Deb's Garden Blog (http://debsgarden.squarespace.com/).
See website for complete article licensing information.