I remember reading in a publication somewhere long ago that the most important color in the garden was green. I remember because, at that moment, the brakes in my mind came to a screeching halt, and I thought:
What!?!
This was early in my horticulture enthusiasm when I only thought about Bold Color All the Time. Around my three Hybrid Tea roses (‘Tiffany,’ ‘Double Delight’ and ‘Chryslur Imperial’,) I planted hot pink begonias and periwinkles in straight rows like small soldiers on the march. My design capabilities were limited, and green foliage was simply a means to an end; literally the stick with leaves which held up the “perfect” rose.
In my defense, this was before I had any shade, and before I learned how great green looks in the garden; how soothing it is; how it helps one’s vision move from one part of the garden to the other.
In spite of all these prejudices, I read the rest of that article, and it made me think. I must have learned something because, now, foliage is one of the first things I look for in a plant.
What color is it? Green, black, purple, chartreuse, red? Are the leaves healthy? A blackspot covered rosebush isn’t pretty. It’s ugly. I know because my garden is filled with them right now. Diseased peony foliage is also ugly. If your vision is gliding along the garden and encounters peony leaves marked with Phytophthora blight, trust me, your mind will come to a full and complete stop.
At midsummer, during a heat wave, shades of green soften the landscape and provide relief from the white hot sunshine. Green, along with its friend, white, also makes shade more inviting.
Emma, from A Nice Green Leaf inspired this post when she requested blogs create a collage of their favorite green foliage for The Big Green Leaf day. Won’t you go visit her blog and the others listed in the comments section to see what’s growing in their gardens? Just think: you’ll be giving your mind a mini vacation.
Thanks for your messages – and I’m so glad I read this post! I’m still stuck in the bold color mode, and feel frustrated every morning when I look outside and see no blooms. I have a very new (this year) large bed that is very very green and lush – but alas no blooms this year. You’ll help me to appreciate it.
Thanks,
Robin at Getting Grounded, Austin
Loved the slide show! Keep them coming!!
Thanks, Sherri.~~Dee
What a wonderful slide show. Your narrative is oh so true too. This is a lesson we all have to learn.
I guess everyone starts out about the same way.~~Dee
Way cool slideshow. That shot of the fern and hosta is my fave, it speaks to me!
Thanks, Cindy. That fern really takes a beating in winter here, and needs all spring to recover. It would probably do well in Texas.~~Dee
Wow Dee! You are so creative! Wonderful slides!
You have been tagged! Please visit my blog. : )
Linda
Thanks, Linda, I’ll try to get to it next week. I’m honored.~~Dee
Lovely slide show. I’ve seen your name on several blogs I visit regularly, but have never stopped by to visit. I chuckled when I read your post, because you could easily be describing me in the first part. I am just now beginning to appreciate the soothing qualities of green in the garden. Bright color is great, but you can only take so much intensity!
Nice to meet you, Rose. I’m glad you came by.~~Dee
Very impressive slide show – definitely worth your efforts. I think the sign of a mature gardener (as opposed to a “new” gardener, not a “young” gardener), is the interest in foliage. We all seem to start out wowed by flowers, but come to appreciate the foliage even more.
Thanks, MMD. I’m mature in so many ways, chronologically, that is. 🙂 ~~Dee
What a beautiful collage! You make me think about my tiny garden sitting area. Yes, it is the green that is precious. I find that I am in love with succulents. It’s a phase. Thanks for educating me, dear friend.
Hugs,
CA
ps: I’m so grateful for your link to the tools. I and my Felco hand pruner have bonded.
So glad to help you meet your pruner.~~Dee
Great job. Amazingly well done! Now for the rosebushes…the kids…the dog…
Robin at Bumblebee
Thanks, Robin. I sprayed the roses. Need to deadhead.~~Dee
Hi there Dee, great slide presentation 😀
I love the variety of foliage you have. Once again I have enjoyed seeing ferns but the purple clover also caught my eye 😀
I agree completely about consdiering the foliage of a flowering plant – I do that all the time too 😀
Have a great week 😀
Shirl, I hear from a garden friend of mine that there is a black clover. Now, that sounds interesting, doesn’t it.~~Dee
Great slideshow, have to go look at it. Your garden is lovely as always.
Thanks, Sandy.~~Dee
it’s a fantastic slide show, I agree. And your thoughts that follow are if anything more interesting, as you put so well the whole question of the balance between green and colour. Thank you so much for that lovely post.
Thanks, Emma, for the idea. It was fun.~~Dee
It’s interesting how our perceptions change and what we come to value as of importance to us. There’s such an endless variety of green and it brings much to the garden when there are subtle changes of green throughout. While I love flowers, I am endlessly fascinated by foliage.
You have a good selection of photographs here!
Hi Kate, life is all about change, and the garden reflects that in miniature.~~Dee
That’s quite a slide show. My favorite color is green. Given the choice, I always choose green, so I love green foliage in the garden.
My favorite color is blue. Second favorite is green. Foliage is king.~~Dee
I’ll be applying for the Make Your Own! That is so attractive and your write up is so true. We start out thinking color everywhere and evolve into a sensible balanced gardener. I too have added lots more green so I don’t feel like screaming every time I go out in the garden. Love how the pictures stack!
Anna, it was pretty easy. It just took some time to take the photos and put them together.~~Dee
Hi Dee,
This was a really cool project that did seem very restful. I really enjoyed reading your thought processes on how you evolved over the years in your love for foliage. Your photos are wonderful – it is interesting to see all the varied greens in your garden.
Meems @Hoe&Shovel
Thanks, Meems.~~Dee