PIctured above, ‘Sparkler’ sedge (Carex phyllocephala), a hard-to-find but interesting plant for shade. Those creamy stripes really brighten up a shady bed.

Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica) ‘Blue Ice,’ with wintry blue foliage and a Christmasy scent all year long.

The ubiquitous purple heart (Tradescantia pallida), growing out of cracks between limestone slabs in the nearly untended lower garden. This is one tough plant for sun or shade.

Queen Victoria agave (Agave victoriae-reginae), opening up like a striped artichoke.

Another image of the lower garden’s largely self-sufficient plants: giant liriope, purple heart, cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), and Mexican buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa), with Texas nolina (Nolina texana) in the container at left. I didn’t plant a single one of these, with the exception of the potted nolina. Even though the liriope and purple heart are fairly prosaic, I’m happy to have their tough, ground-covering foliage in the neglected lower garden.

The agaves and aloes are always dependable in summer. This is the beautiful Agave americana mediopicta ‘Alba.’

Aloe saponaria

And my long-time favorite, ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave (A. ovatifolia). If you stand in just the right spot and squint, the bottle tree behind it looks like an agave bloom spike.

Detail of the Whale. Aren’t those broad, blue-green leaves, shark-teeth thorns, and ghostly imprint patterns fantastic?

More succulent yumminess. From lower left, gopher plant (Euporbia rigida) and Yucca flaccida ‘Bright Edge.’ From upper left, santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus), Yucca rostrata ‘Sapphire Skies,’ ‘Alphonse Karr’ bamboo, and Agave americana ‘Variegata.’

Our native Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus drummondii) has surprisingly large leaves for such a xeric plant. They look beautiful when the morning light shines through them.

Pittosporum ‘Creme de Mint’

I’ll end with the ruffly, speckled leaves of Manfreda undulata ‘Chocolate Chips.’

I invite you to join me in celebrating non-blooming garden goodness for Foliage Follow-Up. It’s easy to participate. Simply post about your favorite foliage plants for August, and leave a link to your post in the comments below. I look forward to seeing your high-summer choices.

All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Even in this month of bounteous flowers, foliage anchors the summer garden. Celebrating each month’s favorite foliage plants is what Foliage Follow-Up is all about. I invite all bloggers to join me on the 16th of each month, right after Bloom Day, in posting about your leafy goodness. Embarrassingly, I didn’t get my act together, after recent travels, to do my own foliage post this month. But that doesn’t mean I’m not keenly interested to know about your favorites for July.

Several bloggers have already posted about theirs and thoughtfully linked back to Digging so that I could find them. Their links are below. If I’ve missed your Foliage Follow-Up post for July, please let me know in a comment, and I’ll add your link to the list.

Kim at A Study in Contrasts

Linda and Mark at Each Little World

Sue at A Corner Garden

Linda at Patchwork Garden

Denise at A Growing Obsession

Elizabeth at Fold, Fallow and Plough

David at Tropical Texana

Rosie at Leaves ‘n Bloom

Ricki at Sprig to Twig

Cindy at From My Corner of Katy

Tune in tomorrow for more images from the garden shown at top, as well as others visited on the last day of Buffa10.

All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Pictured above, ‘Senorita Rosalita’ cleome, looking stunning (and completely unmunched) in front of bright-yellow-and-green Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard.’

The cleome’s pink-lavender flowers often wash out to a tepid pale pink in my photos, but today I got a few images that capture the color pretty well.

The cobalt flowers and bright-green foliage of majestic sage (Salvia guaranitica) have so far also proven unpalatable to deer.

Tried-and-true lantana grows like a weed under the mailbox in part shade, with no supplemental water, and still blooms. Deer hate it. Gotta love it.

Hymenoxys, or four-nerve daisy (Tetraneuris scaposa ), has been sampled. One plant was chomped down to an inch high. But it survives, and the others are, so far, untouched and in full bloom, adding cheery color to the front of the bed.

Another four-nerve daisy

The lavender-and-white flowers of Mexican oregano (Poliomintha longiflora) are spaced along fragrant, leafy branches, and the deer turn up their noses. I love the fragrance and run my hands across it whenever I walk past.

The spent flowers turn brown and hang on the branches, so it’s worth cutting Mexican oregano back by one-third after the flowers fade. Doing so keeps the plant looking green and tidy and encourages another flush of flowers.

Heartleaf skullcap (Scutellaria ovata) is a native with fuzzy and oily leaves and stems. Its lavender flowers stand up a foot or a foot-and-a-half tall in springtime, and afterward the plant may disappear entirely during the summer. In winter the fuzzy leaves reappear and make a lovely blue-green mat through spring.

Texas betony (Stachys coccinea) has rough-textured, even irritating, leaves, and the deer have left it entirely alone. Red flowers bloom all summer.

Red cordyline (Cordyline australis ‘Red Star’) is an annual in all but the mildest winters here in Austin, but it sure is worth replanting every year. Deer don’t bother it, and it provides rich color in dry part-shade. The foliage echoes the red of Texas betony flowers.

Various greens make up most of the foliage in my deer-resistant bed: lime-green bamboo muhly, deep-green Texas dwarf palmetto, blue-green silver Mediterranean fan palm. But the real stars are a lemon-lime trio of Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard,’ which anchor the hottest, sunniest corner.

I absolutely love the color and the drama. They make a big statement in this garden.

To see what’s blooming in gardens around the world on this date, visit May Dreams Gardens for links to other Bloom Day posts. To participate in Foliage Follow-Up, which occurs on the day after Bloom Day, just leave a link to your post right here in the comment section and link to this post so I can find you. I’d love to see what foliage you’re mad about this month.

All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Agaves always make a strong foliage statement in my garden. On the left is Agave victoriae-reginae; on the right, Agave americana var. mediopicta ‘Alba.’ And at top, the lower leaves of Agave ovatifolia, or ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave.

Foliage plants star in my focal-point collection of containers in the raised bed. ‘Santa Rita’ Opuntia occupies the purple pot. In the stock tank are variegated artemisia, a baby ‘Sharkskin’ agave, gray santolina, golden barrel cactus, and Yucca rostrata ‘Sapphire Skies.’ In the blue pots are variegated American agave and more golden barrels. And on the ground, Yucca flaccida ‘Bright Edge,’ gopher plant (Euphorbia rigida), and daylilies round out the scene.

A huge Nolina texana in a pot underplanted with ‘Sparkler’ sedge, ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia, and ‘Toffee Twist’ sedge add life to a shady nook.

And a cute new cactus from one of the box stores. Can anyone ID it for me? It’s a ball cactus, aka Parodia magnifica, and quite cold-hardy. My thanks to Brent for the ID!

So what’s capturing your interest, foliage-wise, in your garden this May? Join in and post about your favorites, and then let us know about it by commenting on this post and leaving your link. I look forward to seeing your foliar stars!

All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

First stop: the focal-point trio of ‘Color Guard’ yuccas. I bought them for their stripey yellow-and-green foliage, knowing that deer would eat the blooms. It’s worth sacrificing flowers if I get to keep fabulous foliage like this. So far they remain untouched.

What’s this? A deer’s calling card. This gopher plant (Euphorbia rigida) has had its flower head bitten off.

I felt grimly smug, I must admit, when I saw the flower head lying on the driveway, where it clearly had been spat out in disgust. I knew that the perpetrator had received a taste of irritating, latex-like sap with that ill-advised sampling. None of the other gopher plants were touched. Yeah, go tell it on the mountain, deer!

Hymenoxys (Tetraneuris scaposa) is one of the few plants I put in this bed for its flowers. Pictured at bottom, it’s a scrappy little native that will bloom nearly year-round. So far, the deer have left it alone.

Silver Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis var. argentea) is a stunning specimen plant with silvery-blue foliage and a strong silhouette. I positioned it for screening my across-the-street neighbors, though it will take a few years to grow large enough to do the job. Again, so far no deer damage.

Texas betony (Stachys coccinea) has coral-red flowers and hairy, almost prickly stems that the deer have left alone.

Pale pavonia (Pavonia hastata), a South American cousin to our native rock rose, has white flowers tinged with burgundy and a wine-colored eye. The flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon. Again, so far the deer have not munched on it.

I planted red cordyline (Cordyline australis), an annual in Austin except in mild winters, to relieve the sea of green. It has a nice color echo with the flowers of pale pavonia and Texas betony. We inherited a couple of cordyline along the foundation of our home when we moved in, and the deer never bothered them. So I’m hopeful that these will be left alone too.

Mexican oregano (Poliomintha longiflora) has strongly scented foliage and eventually will be covered in a mass of lilac-and-white, tubular flowers attractive to hummingbirds. Softleaf yucca (Yucca recurvifolia) is an evergreen, non-clumping yucca that’s not as sharp as some. I expect deer to eat the flowers this summer, but so far the foliage of both plants has not been bothered.

Texas dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor) is a slow- and low-growing native palm.

Copper canyon daisy (Tagetes lemmonii) isn’t native to central Texas but might as well be. It can grow with no babying once established and provides a cloud of yellow flowers in fall. Its strongly scented foliage makes it unappealing to deer.

Majestic sage (Salvia guaranitica) is a shade-tolerant salvia with lime-green leaves and electric-blue, tubular flowers. Easily divided and transplanted, I dug up three pieces from the back garden and moved them to the front bed. I’m still waiting to see whether the deer will find these tasty.

Lindheimer’s nolina (Nolina lindheimeriana)—this is one of three divisions from my former garden—is one of our native woody lilies, related to agave and yucca though it has a grassy habit. Here it’s paired with softleaf yucca.

Variegated Agave americana is a vigorous, offsetting agave that can rapidly take over if not “de-pupped.” But I love the stripey foliage and writhing arms. So far the deer haven’t bothered it, but it may be in more danger in the fall, when deer look for trees and stiff plants to rub their antlers on.

At one month old, the garden has held up well to nightly visits by deer. Only one plant, the euphorbia, has been browsed so far. I’m cheered by this early success but certain that the real test will be this fall and winter, when the deer are hungrier. But by then these plants should have a solid root system and be better able to withstand any munching.

If you are moved to join in for Foliage Follow-Up, just post about your favorite foliage this month and leave a link to your post in the comments on this post so that others can find your contribution.

All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

I mean, just look at this blazing orange, pink, and chartreuse Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire.’ Nestled between Yucca flaccida ‘Bright Edge’ and a winter-purpled ‘Santa Rita’ prickly pear, things are looking hot, hot, hot.

My succulent trough is filling in with new spring growth, even as some of the plants, like red-hued jellybean plant (Sedum rubrotinctum), still sport bright winter coloring. Many succulents change color at different times of the year. Cold weather, drought, and full-sun exposure bring on the most dramatic color changes.

Green leaves are tinged with pink on this mystery succulent.

Blue chalkstick (Senecio mandraliscae) stretches toward the sun like blue fingers.

Ghost plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense) glows rosily in late afternoon sunlight.

That’s all for today. If you’d like to join in, just post pics of your favorite March foliage on your blog and leave a link to it in a comment on this post. Because spring is my busy season for design work, I may not have time to comment on each post. But know that I will visit each link to admire everyone’s leafy inspiration.

All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

And here are cute new-sprouting leaves on the ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum.

Aspidistra, or cast-iron plant, came with the garden and is commonly grown all over Austin. This shade plant may be common as dirt, but I love it for its broad evergreen leaves that help keep my garden green all winter. This clump is about 6 feet in diameter.

Evergreen sun lovers include golden barrel cactus and ‘Angelina’ sedum.

Ghost plant does well in partial shade here. It’s more ever-pink than evergreen.

The last of my succulents that I’ll show today is a ‘Macho Mocha’ mangave, with its cool purple freckles.

Moving on to grass-like plants that help keep my winter garden green, here’s a massive Texas nolina (Nolina texana) that’s been growing in this pot for about 5 years. It takes sun or shade and is deer resistant.

The tawny green tufts of Texas sedge (Carex texensis) remain all winter.

As does the more elegant Mexican feathergrass (Nassella tenuissima).

Green-and-ivory-striped Sparkler sedge (Carex phyllocephala ‘Sparkler’) brightens up shady spots under the live oaks. I’m going to try this out front in deer country soon and hope they hate it as much as I love it. I haven’t found this sedge at economical prices yet, so I’m planning to divide my existing collection to get a few for the deer trial.

That’s it for this Foliage Follow-Up. I look forward to seeing what stands out in your February garden, so join me and post a few pics of your favorite foliage for all of us to enjoy. After you’ve posted, come back here and leave your link on this post in a comment so we can find yours.

All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Winter in Austin is quite green thanks to an abundance of live oaks, Ashe junipers, evergreen shrubs, rosemary, cast-iron plant, bamboos, palms, yuccas, and agaves. Even my St. Augustine lawn is mostly green, despite recent deep freezes. Pictured above is a non-native ornamental grass, bamboo muhly (Muhlenbergia dumosa), that stays green all winter and blooms in spring. At its feet are evergreen daylilies and an Aloe saponaria. All came through our freezes with no protection.

As did the pretty blue foliage of ‘Bath’s Pink’ dianthus, a spring-blooming, fragrant ground cover for sun.

Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’ is really firing up its winter colors, as is purple ‘Santa Rita’ prickly pear (Opuntia). The Sticks on Fire requires protection from freezes; the opuntia does not.

This heuchera was here when we bought the place, and I really love its winter colors.

Pink

And silver, both mixed with green. Again, no freeze protection required; just give it summer shade.

This little aloe resides in the kitchen window, where it’s rapidly outgrowing its space. I may have to transplant it into the garden soon.

Back outside, the winter rosettes of Texas bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis) remind us that spring is not too far away.

I don’t know what this succulent is called, but it makes a pretty carpet in my washtub planter.

And one last echeveria “flower.” Update: I believe this is called Ghost Plant, and it’s not actually an echeveria.

I look forward to seeing what textures you find in your garden this day. Please post your link in a comment on this post so we all can find it. Happy Foliage Day!

All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

I look forward to celebrating foliage with you on Saturday! Leave your link on my Foliage Follow-Up post on the 16th so everyone can find yours. See you then.

Image at top: String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)

All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Yesterday garden bloggers across the globe posted pics of their flowers as part of Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, started by Carol at May Dreams Gardens. Bloom Day is not only a fun meme but a great source of information about what others are growing in your area, or in zones perhaps far different from your own. Flowers can be fleeting, however, and wouldn’t it be great to celebrate foliage each month too, learning from others and showing off what’s interesting in our own gardens?

With that in mind, and with a hat tip to Carol, please join me for Foliage Follow-Up, a monthly celebration of foliage as well as bark, berries, cones, seedpods—any part of a plant that deserves attention. When you write your post, please leave a link in my comments on this post so others can find it.

In my garden this month, succulents shine in container plantings. Some, like ‘Angelina’ sedum, can remain outdoors during a freeze. Others are more tender and must be covered or brought inside. I try to limit these since babying plants gets old fast.

‘Santa Rita’ prickly pear, green in summer, turns purple when temperatures drop.

Opuntia ficus-indica is easy to anthropomorphize. This one reminds me of the guy in The Scream.

Feathery bamboo muhly (Muhlenbergia dumosa) contrasts dramatically with the stiff star shape of Aloe saponaria.

Gopher plant’s (Euphorbia rigida) leaves take on a pink tinge with cooler weather.

Another euphorbia, E. tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’, earns its name come winter, when the green branches turn red, orange, and yellow. When broken or cut, this plant oozes an irritating sap, so handle with care. Also, it must be protected from freezes.

‘Toffee Twist’ sedge is coppery in the shade.

Similarly, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’ shows off copper and gold highlights at this time of year.

Silver Mediterranean fan palm holds steady with powdery blue fronds.

More blue! ‘Blue Ice’ Arizona cypress

Here’s a foliage plant I’m worried about. Post-freeze the Mexican weeping bamboo has taken on a straw-like color and texture, its leaves folded up thinly. Is this normal? Will it recover? ESP or Germi, any words of comfort?

I’ll close with the flaming finale of the Japanese maple out front. It’s going out with a bang.

I look forward to seeing the interesting foliage in your garden this month!

All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.