When it's not Bloom Day, green is king
Kermit sang, “It’s not easy being green.” But actually it is, especially if you gravitate toward textural and architectural plants, as I do. In Austin’s subtropical, zone 8b climate, many plants stay green all year, keeping the garden “alive” even in winter. From my October Bloom Day post, you might think that my garden is awash in colorful flowers. But it just isn’t so. The bigger picture shows that the main color in my garden is green.
A large ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave (A. ovatifolia) anchors the highest raised bed (also pictured at top) with a silvery green that plays well with the cherry red of ‘Radrazz’ Knock Out roses.
A spiky trio of potted agaves and mangave stand out amid soft billows of bamboo muhly grass (Muhlenbergia dumosa).
Colorful pots are a great way to inject color into a mostly green landscape. The blue of these glazed pots never fades or wilts in summer or winter.
Foliage color lasts longer than blooms too. This variegated American agave’s yellow stripes add a shot of color amid the green.
A Texas nolina (Nolina texana) in a pot anchors this shady bed, and the creamy variegation of sparkler sedge (Carex phyllocephala ‘Sparkler’) on the left adds brightness amid darker greens. The straw tones of ‘Toffee Twist’ sedge on the lower right also lighten the scene and echo the tan color of the pot.
Mexican feathergrass (Nassella tenuissima) and sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas ‘Margarita’) offer contrasts in texture and shades of green.
Orange narrowleaf zinnia (Z. angustifolia) provides a pop of annual color against silver-blue Yucca rostrata ‘Sapphire Skies’ and ‘Powis Castle’ artemisia.
The pond plants are mostly green too, like dwarf papyrus. After all, even the water lily leaves spread a green carpet across the pond.
But it’s easy to overlook all the green when colorful flowers do make a fleeting appearance, like ‘Colorado’ water lily…
…and ‘Helvola’ water lily.
Flowers seduce. But they won’t stick with you day in and day out. Green will.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
I love that Agave Whale’s Tongue. We are thiking of having an agave in our new place in SC as specimen plant…. need to check into hardy varieties. Love the look of your garden with so many agave.
I’ve found that over the years my gardening tastes have changed. Sure I love flowers, but I also spend lots more time thinking about,searching and considering various textures and combinations of plants.I love your combination of Mexican feather grass and sweet potato vine. That will look great in an area I’ve had some trouble getting “just right” Thanks for the idea…
The carex varieties look great in the grouping. I love the evergreen sedges, too. After pulling out most of my zinnias yesterday (before the frost last night), I realized how satisfying “just green” can be, too!
Cameron
I moved my Whale’s Tongue to a container and I think it is happier now. Nowhere near as big as yours!
Pam, Great observations on using plants that are green for there shape and texture. Simple green foliage can also give the eye a break in some settings thus high lighting the bold color of blooms.
Scott
Green is King. I went to look at galvinized stock tanks this weekend. The ones I saw were only 2′ deep. Is that how deep yours is?? I thought yours looked deeper. Hmmm. I think I would like it to be a little deeper. Maybe I am wanting too much depth???
Yes, most of mine are 2 ft. deep, Lisa. I’ve sent you an email with more info. —Pam
We are going into that time of year when the greens get their place in the limelight. You have some lovely structure with your greens. Of course that Whales’ tongue is my favorite. My ‘Whales’ Tongue’ is coming along and may be getting a little more glaucous which pleases me. It still has 3 pups but they have not grown much over the summer. Time will tell.I like your Nolina in a pot. I have lots of Nolina growing in my wild area but It would be impossible to bring into the garden. I am always on the lookout for some seedlings out there.
Your garden is looking great Pam. Loved the shot of the roses against the Whale’s Tongue. The pink against the silver really set each other off. The closer shot looks like a jewel studded spiky crown! I am right there with you on the foliage front, as you know! I just realized this year how much purple I have. Your grasses and agaves will hold center-stage as we head into our colder months. How are your fish doing in their new home? I hope they are keeping the mosquito population down….we have so many this year, I killed 7 yesterday in my front room, I think the hobbits are trecking them into the house on there big hairy feet!
ESP.
Thanks, ESP. The fish are mostly doing fine, although I’ve lost a couple and don’t know why. Still, there are plenty of Bob’s baby fantails in there to keep down the mosquito larvae. The mosquitoes are horrible this fall though—you are right. Maybe they’re making up for lost time during a dry summer? —Pam
As a gardener with little space, I have to make sure that anything that flowers can hold its own when out of bloom. There are exceptions, but I try to stick with the plan.
Whale’s Tongue is the perfect name for that agave.
Hallelujah Pam! Flowers fade but your gorgeous agaves are beautiful year round!
My garden gets very green this time of year too, so much so that it surprises me every time.
The trio of Agavaceae in a line is really fabulous.
I totally agree about green and you have some wonderful ones with those big agaves and grasses. Such drama and so many different greens!
Pretty, pretty, pretty. I love all your green. I went to a garden fest in Mississippi this past weekend and saw lots of bamboo muhly in the nursery trade. That makes me glad. However, several of us remarked that we can no longer find narrowleaf zinnias in our neck of the woods. Bummer. But I managed to score some carex and grasses, which made me happy nonetheless. Let’s hear it for green (and toffee). 🙂
It’s strange that narrowleaf zinnias are becoming hard to find. Jenny at Rock Rose has mentioned this, and she collects seed every year so she doesn’t have to worry about it. I don’t collect seed, but I have had some of mine come back from seed in my old garden. And I have had no trouble finding new plants at Barton Springs Nursery in Austin each spring. —Pam
Well, you know I love your restful green space. I can’t wait to visit and see the new garden as it unfolds. Green is king in all gardens if people know where to look. Am salivating over the variegated agave. Want it, want it, but need to help the others I bought survive first.~~Dee
The variegated agave pups out all the time, Dee. I’m sure either I or MSS will have a pup or two for you when you come down for a visit. —Pam