Foliage Follow-Up: Summer Garden Foliage Combinations

July Garden Foliage

Foliage variation is an extremely important element in the garden and Pam at Digging hosts Foliage Follow-up each month on the 16th as a way to remind ourselves of the importance of foliage in the garden on the day after Bloom Day.   This is my first time joining in on this meme and I am very excited about sharing some of the foliage I have in my gardens.  Come along with me to take a look!

Heuchera, Sedge and Euonymus

One of my favorite combinations of texture is in the shade garden.  Here are Heuchera 'Palace Purple', Japanese Golden Sedge and Euonymus 'Gold Spot'.

Heuchera (Coral Bells) 'Palace Purple'

The 'Palace Purple' Heuchera has a unique foliage of its own and is used for just that.  Heuchera develops delicate blooms later in summer but is mainly known for it's deep burgundy leaves that last throughout the summer and into winter.

Dwarf Fountain Grass and Euonymus 'Emerald Gaiety'

Grasses always add grace and movement to the landscape.   I like to combine them with evergreens.  Seen here is Dwarf Fountain Grass 'Hameln' and Euonymus 'Emerald Gaiety' by my patio area.

Hosta and Juniper

Here I have hosta and Juniper next to one another...

Hosta and Sedge

and Hosta and a Variegated Sedge. I enjoy combining broad darker leaves with lighter colored, wispy grass-like foliage.

Hosta 'Maui Buttercup'

My new Hosta 'Maui Buttercup' made its debut in Garden Blogger's Bloom Day and is here again for its bright yellow foliage...

Heuchera Combination with Juniper

and here is Heuchera 'Caramel' (my favorite) combined with Heuchera 'Palace Purple' and Juniperus 'Gold Lace' for a little color contrast. 

Japanese Forest Grass Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'

These Japanese Forest Grasses that I purchased years ago have matured into two foot wide clumps and are in front of a backdrop of the darker leaved Rainbow Leucothoe.  This area is mostly in shade with a little bit of dappled sun.

Japanese Painted Fern

Painted Fern is another plant that I purchased strictly for its beautiful blue-green foliage. It took some time for this to get established but once it did it formed a nice mass transitioning from the pool area to the shade area.

Miniature Fountain Grass and Blue Star Juniper Combination

Now into the sunnier section of the property there is Miniature Bunny Grass with Blue Star Juniper for a combination of blues and greens...

Stachys (Lamb's Ear)

and Lamb's Ear which is known for its soft white foliage.

Sedum Foliage

Sedum, even though is known for its bright pink blooms in August, exhibits an unusual succulent-like foliage that forms perfectly symmetrical clumps...

Lily Foliage

and I just could not leave out the July lilies.  Their grass-like foliage adds yet another variation of texture as well as movement to the garden. 

 I hope you enjoyed the foliage combinations in my July garden.  Thank you to Pam@Digging for hosting Foliage Follow-Up and be sure to check out what foliage others have in their gardens.  Also be sure to check out July Bloom Day.
 
As Always...Happy Gardening!


Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2013. All rights reserved

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day July 2013: Long Island Garden

July 2013 Garden
Welcome to my Long Island garden!  After a week of rain followed by a heat wave of 90 degree temperatures the gardens are back on track with last year. It was a slow start to spring and summer this year but the gardens have recovered and are bursting with color.  It is time for another Garden Blogger's Bloom Day. Come stroll along with me to see what is blooming.

 

The hostas are doing exceptionally well this year. Above is the flower from a 'Golden Tiara' and below is my newest addition 'Maui Buttercups', a miniature variety with lime foliage that stays small and compact.  I also couldn't resist it for the name since I love the island of Maui in Hawaii!

Hosta 'Maui Buttercups'

 

The Endless Summer Hydrangea in the backyard are full of blooms...

Endless Summer Hydrangea

as well as the coreopsis and nepeta at the front entry to the driveway. 

Nepeta 'Walkers Low' and Coreopsis 'Zagreb'

I rejuvenated the Coreopsis this spring digging it up and placing it back into little clumps.  There is nothing like a little revamping here and there to get the gardens back in shape and I think the Coreopsis are benefiting from it.  They are looking much fuller and brighter now. 

Coreopsis 'Zagreb'

I have already deadheaded my salvia and it is going on its second round of purple blooms. 

Salvia 'May Night'

The Astilbe 'Visions' are now in bloom.  I had added this variety last summer and am enjoying its vibrant color. 

Astilbe 'Visions'

Here are my Lilies that are presently blooming by the pool...

Daylily 'Stella D' Oro'

 There are 'Stella D Oro'...

Hemerocallis 'Pardon Me'

'Pardon Me'...'Sammy Russell' and Oriental Lily-
Lilium 'Casa Blanca'.  The 'Casa Blanca' is actually ahead of schedule this year by about one to two weeks.

Hemerocallis 'Sammy Russell'

Oriental Lily (Lilium 'Casa Blanca')

I have been on a new mission getting as many Heuchera 'Caramel' as I can into the gardens. I love this variety of Coral Bells for their bright caramel foliage and ability to thrive just about anywhere. They even take full sun which is amazing. Here they are on the front island berm along with the traditional 'Palace Purple' Heuchera.

Heuchera (Coral Bells) 'Caramel' and 'Palace Purple'

Come take a look at the pool area.  On one side of the waterfall is a shady area where I had planted a few Japanese Painted fern which are filling in nicely.  I recently added the three 'Loyalist' hosta in the backdrop and am enjoying the foliage combination of the two plants together.

Japanese Painted Fern & Hosta 'Loyalist'

The Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' (Japanese Forest Grass) is also thriving in the other shade area to the right of the pool...

Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'

and last but not least the new Sedum 'Dragon's Blood' planted from last summer is showing off its vibrant deep pink blooms in front of garden gal and boy. 

Sedum 'Dragon's Blood'

Thank you for visiting my Long Island garden and please visit our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see what others have blooming for the month of July.  I hope you enjoyed the stroll.  If you like leave a note to let me know you visited and I will be sure to visit you as well. 

 

As Always...Happy Gardening!


Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2013. All rights reserved

A Gardener's Bliss-Day of a Long Island Gardener

Being a true gardener I always take time to admire and sometimes photograph the beauty of nature I come across in my daily travels.  In my opinion the well known saying "Live, Love, Laugh" should also have the word "garden" in it for a garden can make just about anyone smile and lift ones spirits.   Follow along with me during a typical day and experience some of the gardens of Long Island.

The months of June and July are the height of the gardening season here on Long Island and there is beauty everywhere.  This photo is of a little garden on the south side of Main Street in the town of Sayville.   There are Stella D Oro Daylily and red Asiatic Lilly against the backdrop of vibrant pink Knock Out Roses. 

These giant Allium seed heads in the same garden are just wonderful...

and so are these pink Asiatic Lilies.   Believe it or not this close up photograph and all the others were taken with my cell phone. 

Now onto the next stop...In a customer's garden a bumble bee merrily enjoys the nectar of this Laceap hydrangea flower...

and this Endless Summer Hydrangea is bursting with colorful blooms. 

  The Tiger Lilies are also bursting with color.

At the end of the day and back home again I stopped off at my own garden to take in the Lamb's Ear, Salvia, Daylily, Astilbe, Coreopsis and Nepeta all in full bloom...and another day is done. 

  I must say I truly love my job and seeing all these blooms is a gardener's bliss.  I am always keeping an eye out for a photo opportunity and this day was full of them. So on that note "Live, Love, Laugh and Garden", and enjoy the beauty of nature whenever you can.   It will be sure to make you smile!

 

As Always...Happy Gardening!

 

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2013. All rights reserved

  

Feature Shrub: Spirea Double Play 'Big Bang'

Double Play® Big Bang Spirea

Spirea japonica 'Tracy' P.P.A.F.
 

There is a new flowering shrub for your garden and its name is Spirea Double Play 'Big Bang'.   Massive pink blooms against glowing red spring foliage and bright yellow summer foliage make this plant a must have in the garden.   'Double Play' Spirea exhibit both colorful foliage and large robust flowers that are larger than any spirea flower I have ever seen.  Massive pink blooms reach up to three inches across as compared to one and a half inch blooms of traditional spirea.

Double Play®Big Bang Spirea Mid-Spring Foliage

Spirea 'Double Play' is a deciduous low mounding shrub hardy to zones 4-9. It prefers to be grown in part to full sun in a slightly acidic well drained soil. Spirea 'Double Play' grows to a height and width of 24-36 inches and exhibits a low compact mounding habit. Blooms emerge from new growth in spring so spirea can be pruned in late winter before flowering or after flowering in late summer. Once established this shrub is relatively low maintenance and is also drought tolerant.

Double Play®Big Bang Spirea Early Spring Foliage

Spirea 'Double Play' Big Bang displays bright orange foliage in early spring...

Double Play®Big Bang Spirea Late Spring Foliage

 

followed by bright yellow foliage in late spring...followed by beautiful pink blooms in summer.

      Double Play®Big Bang Spirea Summer Foliage     

As an added bonus Spirea 'Double Play' is both 'deer resistant' and

attracts hummingbirds. It is an ideal shrub for foundation plantings, mixed

borders and mass plantings.  In my opinion I would have called this plant " triple play"

for its beautiful foliage, extraordinarily large blooms and outstanding performance!

  It is sure to be a hit in your garden!

  

 As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2013. All rights reserved 

 

 



Garden Blogger's Bloom Day June 2013

June Garden

Welcome to my June garden!  There is much to see this spring with lots of blooms everywhere.   With a slow start this year there was even more anticipation than ever and now the gardens are alive with color.  Come along and walk with me.

Salvia May Night

Here is the local bumble bee enjoying the nectar of the May Night Salvia.  It took me a while to get this photo for bumble bees do not pose but I got it!

Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'

 The 'Summer Snowflake' Viburnum are starting to flower and will continue to do so throughout the season. 

Daylily 'Stella D Oro'

 The Daylilies are late opening this year but this lone flower popped open just in time for Bloom Day.  I am enjoying my newest camera with a 45x zoom lens to get these close ups.

Garden Love!

  The tour wouldn't be the same without a visit to the garden gal and boy. The Sedum ground cover should be blooming in front of them soon.

Double Knock Out Rose (Pink)

The Pink Knock Out Roses are blooming all at once after the heavy rains we have been getting recently...


Hosta, Salvia May Night and Lamb's Ear

and the Salvia 'Maynight' and Stachys (Lamb's Ear) is flourishing as well.

Double Knock Out Rose (Pink) and Nepeta

Here are my Red Double Knock Outs along with Nepeta 'Walkers Low'.

Poolscape with Western Arborvitae in Backdrop

After the storm (Hurricane Sandy) we lost the White Pines behind the pool waterfall and had to replace them.  I went with 12-14 foot Western Arborvitae which gave us an instant screening and we are happy that the garden is now restored.  It was heartbreaking to have to rip out those majestic trees but they had been declining for some time and the winds and salts had wiped them out.  After quite the day getting the new trees in all is good and the garden is back to normal again.

Poolscape in June

Spirea 'Limemound' Bloom

Here is my Spirea 'Limemound'.  I love it for its colorful foliage all summer and for its delicate pink blooms.

Hosta 'Patriot'

Around the side of the property is this 'Patriot' Hosta. Apparently it is very happy in its location.  I have always thought of 'Patriots' as being slow growing...but not this one! 

Perennial Garden

Back around to the patio area by the house is the perennial garden.  The Lamb's Ear and Salvia are blooming with the Astilbe and Daylilies close behind.

Lampost Garden

The Nepeta 'Walker's Low' are doing very well this year with all the spring showers we have been getting.  You can see it here in the backdrop on the right.



'Yaku Jima' Maiden Grasses in Sunny Section of Garden 

The grasses are Sedum are flourishing as well due to the extra rain we have been getting. 

Hakonechloa Macra (Golden Japanese Forest Grass)

Gold Lace Juniper and Heuchera

Back around to the front yard gardens there is a huge Blue Atlas Cedar surrounded by Juniperus 'Gold Lace' and a combination of Heuchera-'Palace Purple' and 'Caramel'. New cultivars of Heuchera keep coming out and I am enjoying having them in the gardens, especially the 'Caramel' which even takes the sun.

Driveway Garden Planting Full View

 Here is another view of the lamppost garden with Golden Oriental Spruce, Barberry and Nepeta. 

Spirea Double Play 'Big Bang' Bloom

New to the garden this year is a new cultivar of Spirea called Double Play 'Big Bang' and it certainly lives up to its name!  I am so thrilled with this new plant with both its foliage and robust blooms unlike any Spirea I have ever seen.  It is like a light show of color. 

Spirea Double Play 'Big Bang' June Foliage

 Thank you for visiting my June garden. I will be sure to visit you as well. After a long and difficult winter the garden is alive and I am enjoying it every moment I can.  It has been a busy time for my husband and I but after this post I will be retiring from 32 years of teaching (and he from 31 years).  We are both looking forward to enjoying more quiet time in the solitude of our gardens and I will have more time to keep up on the garden tasks which I love.  Please stop by and visit our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see what others have blooming in their gardens. Happy Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.

 

And As Always...Happy Gardening!

 

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2013. All rights reserved