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Sunday 12 July 2009

Catch your eye .... colour # 1

You would think that a variegated foliage would be busy enough than having added colour thrown into the mix .. right ?
That is what I thought about "My Monet" weiglea until I got one .. and then I ended up with a total of three of the little nippers .. go figure ?
This however is polemonium reptans "Stairway to Heaven" creeping Jacob's Ladder. I had no intention on buying it .. but the call of a sale price does something to my brain that I can't quite control ..a slave to a plant that is a bit quirky and on sale too ?
Who am I kidding ? .. and in the first picture .. doesn't that one strap leaf from my day lily become annoying in the shot .. it bugs me ! it really isn't a pointer I'm using here folks ; )
I can't say enough about how black mulch really pops plants out, especially these types of colours.
See the pink tinge on the new growth ? .. so delicate and pretty .. I would say almost "GIRLIE" !!
Now here is another almost quirky one .. Pinot Gris heuchera .. planted in two different sun value spots .. this one has strong morning light and afternoon shade ..
This one has filtered light and stays more on the pink peach scale of colour .. such a difference and yet the same plant .. amazing right ?
I finally picked up astilbe "Colour Flash" .. a friend of mine said I really should have at least one .. and now seeing it I wished I had grabbed two (yes ... they were on sale, but I just wasn't sure .. damnation !!)
It is one shocking astilbe and I haven't even seen the flowers .. who cares, this foliage is fantastic !
Thank you Rose for telling me I really should have one .. and I will most likely get more .. wink wink : )

Almost looks like Autumn foliage ........ ehhhh ??? hehehehe

26 comments:

Barry said...

Joy:
What wonderful new additions - but a word of caution...... Polemonium 'Stairway to Heaven' needs a lot of mulching over the winter..... I have lost two, but that hasn't stopped me from trying again. I located Polemonium 'Touch of Class' - a sport of Stairway and it had faithfully returned two years running!

Jill-O said...

Oooh! Pretty! I know what I'm going to be buying for my garden, just as soon as I find them!

Aunt Debbi/kurts mom said...

That Jacob's ladder is very pretty. Maybe I could grow it on the front in the shade.

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Cool plants Joy!! First I was going to say that I really like the Heuchera.......then I saw the astilbe! Really neat.

Rose said...

I've never seen an astilbe like this before--that is some spectacular foliage! I'm going to have to look for that "Pinot Gris" heuchera, too; it would certainly look good with all the "dessert" heucheras I already have:) I have sworn not to buy any more plants this summer...unless they're on sale, of course:)

Anonymous said...

Help me...I'm getting a serious case of plant lust. I'm not a big Astilbe fan but I think I could move heaven and earth for this puppy. This is my first acquaintance with the plant and I got to say I'm totally smitten. Your Jacob's ladder reminds me of Hypericum 'Tri-Color.' It has the same leaf formation although the colors lean more towards the warms. I got a chuckle out of your daylily and its attempt to be center stage.

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

Beautiful foliage colors. The astilbe does have fall colors! It is so pretty and reminds me of a cooler time of the year(-:
The mulch does look great too!

Linda Lunda said...

Ohh how beautiful aint this!!!!!
LOOOOVE and a joy for my heart to see!
Linda

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi there Puppy .. I just had a feeling that would be the case with this one .. even the standard one gave up on me in year two .. so I will try to make sure this is tucked in well for the winter : )
I just had a look at Touch of Class and WOW ! that is gorgeous too ! .. I haven't seen it here yet .. but then I wasn't looking for it because I didn't know about it .. but next year I will be hunting it down .. it looks wonderful, thanks for letting me know puppy : )

Jill girl .. am I an "enabler" to your plant addiction ? am I going to get a bill for therapy for you to get clean ? LOL .. I say find those plants girl ! these are gorgeous !! : )

Debbie .. it never hurts to at least give it a try right ? maybe it will be more successful especially since your winters are not so harsh on it .. now go get one girl !!

Janet .. why not get both ? you know you want to right ? I say spoil yourself and splurge !! LOL

Rose girl ... I swear that too .. after the heat of buying more plants than I ever had any idea I would this year ... there is always "just one more .. ?" LOL

Grace .. my friend had told me about this astilbe for some time .. and I just kept forgetting ? then I decided wow ! what the heck was I doing NOT getting this sooner !
Yes .. this J L reminds me of a few other plants .. I kept passing it up until I saw the sale price ? haha .. who am I kidding right ? .. and YES ! that damn day lily had to poke its arm out like that !LOL

Linda ... you have to have some of these plants girl .. your garden is begging for them girl ! ; )

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Cindee girl .. some how I missed your comments in here .. brain on vacation again ? It does look like Fall foliage doesn't it ? .. it is terrible to say but I would take Autumn any time NOW ! haha .. yup .. I think the mulch does do a great job on all fronts : )

Frances said...

Oh my goodness, that astilbe!!! I have never seen or heard of it before and we have loads of astibles too. That is going on the list immediately. Your colorful leaves are just the best, Joy, love both the looks on the heuchera too. The dark background does make them pop, and I happen to find the daylily pointer quite exceptional. :-)
Frances

tina said...

I have the variegated Jacob's ladder and so far so good. I don't have the other two and love them both! They both look like they have autumn foliage indeed. It is most pretty and does shine!

Gail said...

I think the astilbe foliage rivals the heuchera for good looks and then you get flowers. Saying that does not mean I don't appreciate heuchera flowers, I do, especially the little pink ones on my Silver Scrolls. How big will the My Monet get and does it take to pruning? gail

Gail said...

ps...Since we're talking about color! What would you think of planting drumstick allium with TES? Layanee (Ledge and Garden) has planted them together and is very pleased with the combination...Her garden is zone 5, and may be similar to your growing conditions! Gail

Stephanie said...

Hello GardenJoy! I was just looking through blotanical list of favourite posts. I found your blog/post. Just wanted you to know that the foliages/ferns you have are so beautiful! Have a happy Monday!

Randy said...

Joy,
Your garden is so beautiful. I love all the different foliage. I find that all the good foliage plants don't tend to do well in full sun. Unfortunately for us.--Randy

Linda S. said...

I love heucheras & have that astilbe too. Just put it in last summer, so it hasn't spread much yet! Love your photos!!

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Yep, colourful it certainly is and withou a flower in sight. Leaves are so important in the garden and you've got that down pat. ;-)

There is kitty Bliss you know where.

Northern Shade said...

There's lots of richness in your shots. I haven't seen 'Colour Flash' before, it has such deep markings for an astilbe. It will be interesting to see what colour the flowers are.

We had frosts in late May, so my Heuchera went through their fall colour changes to multiple shades of orange and red, but now they are back to their summer colours. They have so many different leaf colours for one plant.

PS, I just needed to know, did you have to velcro your cats in place to get them to sit so symmetrically on your mantlepiece for that sidebar shot? : )

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

You will love Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven.' In early spring the foliage is purplish pink and green variegated. It looks great with purple crocuses. I haven't had Teza's problems with 'Stairway to Heaven.' It has been a reliable performer for me for three years now, even after -18F this winter. I have no experience with 'Touch of Class,' so I can't compare them.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Frances girl .. my anonymous day lily "pointer" thanks you for the recognition : )
I'm surprised that Colour Flash hasn't popped up more on the American side .. we usually have to wait on different selections from you guys ? LOL
I wish I had gotten it earlier because I am astounded by how gorgeous it is too (I should have listened to my friend sooner ? LOL)

Tina .. I'm really happy to have gotten this JL .. especially on sale too of course .. it just struck me how gorgeous it would be against black mulch ! I love the thrill of a new plant : )

Gail .. I have Silver Scrolls too and love it (my first eye popping heuchera to me) .. Geisha's Fan has amazing flowers too, with the marble affect in the leaves.
My Monet is quite small .. I don't think you ever really prune it .. I haven't so far.
I think that must look fabulous with TES ! .. I just ordered some gorgeous purple allium (medium sized heads I guess)and the colour combo would be so pretty .. I have some nice siberian shaped purple iris that are fighting their way up from the deck guys trampling them .. once they make it they will look great with TES .. how is yours doing ??
I saw some of the pictures from Layanee's garden and it is gorgeous !

Hello Stephanie .. thank you !
There are so many blogs in the directory now .. it is amazing, so I appreciate you dropping by and leaving a comment : )

Hi Randy .. I know you guys have a really hard time with foliage plants and that southern heat and sun .. you have amazing gardens as it is though .. so I guess we all have our weaknesses that we just can't quite have ? LOL

Hello there Linda S. !
Thank you for dropping by : )
It takes a while for the plants to reach the point when you can lift and divide them .. but it is well worth the time and effort : )

Yolanda .. you are too sweet girl ! I just had "dumb luck" when it came to choosing what to plant together .. and now the gardens are both becoming more shade garden than light .. so foliage is a work horse for me : )
Ahhhhhhh ! Kitty Bliss ! LOL

Northern Shade .. First I have to say the girls shocked me when they both lined themselves up like that and I happened to have the camera close by .. it was all a Twilight Zone Moment for us ? LOL .. I didn't bribe them (because you know you can't bribe a cat anyways) .. it just fell into place nix the velcro ? LOL
Yes .. Colour Flash is an amazing cultivar of the astilbe plant .. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't have seen and planted one myself in fact (even though I believed my friend ? LOL) .. that is a treat to have your heuchera go through the change of colour in Spring and Autumn .. and how the same leaves of a plant can look so different .. well it is fantastic isn't it ?

Hey there MMD .. now I have to make sure to plant purple crocus by this one ! Even now it looks so pretty with tinges of pink in it.
I'll be sure to top up the mulch though. I hadn't really looked at these types until I saw this one .. and I hadn't heard of the one Teza mentioned .. it has me curious too though I have to admit !

Anonymous said...

Ooh 'Stairway to Heaven' is glorious! And I love that Astilbe too. You found some wonderful examples of variegated foliage done right! ;)

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Racquel ... does this mean you are going to adopt these babies to yor own garden too girl ? LOL
It is really nice to stumble on surprising plants isn't it ? : )

Gardenista said...

Oh my, I am jealous of all those pretty leaves! It's amazing how all that beauty can be appreciated even without a bloom in sight!

Anonymous said...

The 90th is over with! Just thought I'd check in and am so happy that you went along with the colourful astilbe. I just love mine (have 2 of them) and they are gorgeous.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Gardenista ! .. It really is the best of both worlds with this plant .. foliage and flower ... cake and icing ?? LOL

Rose girl ! You are a very big part of this post .. if it wasn't for your coaxing I would still be dragging my feet on this astilbe .. I am so glad you convinced me I should have at least one .. now I want MORE ;-)