Mid-August in Deb's Garden

Can it be? Summer is slipping around the edges, loosing its intensity, with cool nights and early morns. Humidity is also less, so that even mid-day temps are more tolerable. The garden has taken on a mellow, relaxed atmosphere, hinting of autumn to come.  Fall colors are beginning to show in these Japanese maple leaves.

Lets start a tour of the mid-August garden with images taken in and around the front garden:This trail leads from the patio steps, with the hydrangea walk on one side and the arbor garden on the other.

This trail leads from the jasmine arch by the patio. It borders the main part of the front garden.

This image shows the upper part of the hydrangea walk. The burford holly is laden with berries, which will turn red later in the season.

A couple of loving bugs on the holly.There are a couple of things to note inside the front garden. First, the voodoo lily has grown tremendously this summer. In the pot, it reaches well over five feet tall. Another thing is that I have eliminated the invasive liriope that once grew in abundance on both sides of this path. Since this photo was taken, I have planted about three dozen foxglove plants in this area, pass-alongs from a dear friend. A variety of other plants will also grow here.

Trail inside the front garden.

The first image in the collage below shows liriope growing around the base of a tree in the lower front lawn. This is easily controlled with a lawn mower:Clockwise from top left: Liriope; Crepe myrtle; Variegated fatsia japonica; Easy-to-grow mushrooms!

More photos from the front garden:

A close look at the center of this orange hibiscus.

Some images taken inside the woodland garden:

Finally, a view of the sky, so typical this month. I am thankful for abundant rain.Sky before a summer thunderstormI hope you enjoyed the tour. Can you feel a new season coming?

Create Drama with Variegated Foliage

For drama in the garden, or maybe just for fun, plant something with variegated foliage. I confess I am immediately drawn to any sort of multi-colored foliage, and my garden shows it. Stripes, splotches and spots create interest where flowers are fleeting in my predominantly shady landscape, and a plant with variegation can light up the darkest corner.

Variegation appears as differently colored areas on leaves or stems, often white or gold, but sometimes pink or purple. Some plants have a variety of shades on the same leaf and can rival any flower for color. These types of plants make good focal points, but too many close together can clash or appear jarring. Many variegated plants look good with solid companions or those whose flowers or leaves match the variegated plant's color markings.The white edging of variegated Japanese pittosporum matches the white flowers of native Eurybia divaricata (White wood aster). Note how the aster's radiant form also repeats the form of the pittosporum.One can also combine variegated plants in a small grouping by repeating the variegated color of one plant in different degree or form in another variegated plant.

The white edging of Variegated Plectranthus is repeated in large splashes on the leaves of Stromanthe tricolor.

These oddities may make a plant desirable to plant collectors, but not everyone likes these types of plants. What about you? The following is a sampling of the variegated plants in my garden; certainly not all of them! Most are hardy in my USDA hardiness zone 7b/8a landscape. 1. Heuchera 'Tiramisu' 2. Hosta 'Francis Williams' 3. Zantedeschia albomaculata 4. Calla lily 'Tropicana' 5. Variegated ivy 6. Nandina 'Firepower'

1. Fatshedera 'Angyo Star' 2. Round-lobed Hepatica 3. Persicaria 'Red Dragon' 4. Variegated Pittosporum 5. Acer palmatum 'Butterfly' 6. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Variegata'

1. Hosta 'June' 2. Cornus florida 'Cherokee Sunset' 3. Trillium cuneatum (Sweet Betsy) 4. Japanese Painted Fern 5. Variegated Winter daphne 6. Heuchera 'Green Spice'

1. Heucherella 'Alabama Sunset' 2. Houttuynia 3. Stromanthe 'tricolor' (not hardy) 4. Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' 5. Persian shield (not hardy) 6. Ficus variegata (not hardy)

1. Cercis canadensis 'Whitewater' 2. Variegated acuba 3. Saxifraga stolonifera (Strawberry begonia) 4. Tricyrtis hirta 'variegata' (toad lily) 5. Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki' 6. Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web'

What do you think about variegated foliage? Are there some that you love? Make you cringe? My opinion is there must be at least one for everyone. Or in my case, at least thirty!

Have a great week! Deb