Christina of Creating My Own Garden of the Hesperides hosts Garden Bloggers Foliage Day on the 22nd of each month. I am joining her this month to feature the leaves and textures noted around my garden in the last two days. The days could not be more different moving from sunny 80 degrees yesterday to a rainy 54 degree-day today.

The perennial sweet pea’s tendrils would help it climb if given proper support (that task is on a to-do list somewhere), but it has sprawled for many years among its close neighbors.  This is a pass-along plant and I believe the species is Lathyrus latifolius. Its pink flowers are pretty but not fragrant.

Perennial Sweet Pea

Nearby the sweet pea leaf contrasts with the open feathery leaves of a dwarf yarrow and narrow blades of daylily leaves.

Dwarf Yarrow and Perennial Sweet Pea

On a different yarrow, Achillea x ‘Appleblossom,’ the texture of a forming flower contrasts strongly with the feathery leaves.

Achillea x 'Appleblossom'

Tradescantia virginiana (Virginia spiderwort) is native to this area. There is a succession of flowering on each plant, with each bloom lasting but one day. The leaves are long and grass-like blades.

Tradescantia (Spiderwort)

Spiderwort spreads freely and the entire garden is punctuated with its blooms in colors ranging from blue to purple and even white. Here the spiderwort is offset by the silver, feathery foliage of Artemisia ‘Powis Castle.’

Artemisia, Tradescantia (Spiderwort)

Narrow upright leaves appear on either side of lavender buds. Much thicker iris leaves fill the background.

Lavender and Iris Leaf

The narrow leathery leaf of a Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena) allows a peek through to the Aquilegia canadensis (Eastern red columbine).

Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)

Colorful burgundy and green foliage of Gaura lindheimeri ‘Passionate Blush’ (Butterfly Gaura) provides interest for much of the year.

Gaura lindheimeri 'Passionate Blush' (Butterfly Gaura)

This chrysanthemum is a woody-stemmed perennial, another pass-along plant that has been in my gardens for many years. Its leaves look refreshingly green from the rain.

Chrysanthemum

Finishing up this foliage tour around the garden are bright green  and deeply textured leaves of Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue.’

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'

Visit Christina to see wonderful images of foliage in her garden. Links to the other Garden Bloggers Foliage Day participants will be found in her comments section.