A second post today—time again for Garden Bloggers Foliage Day (GBFD), hosted by Christina at Garden of the Hesperides.
Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ (Winter daphne)
The foliage of three Daphne odora shrubs in the mixed hedge along the front porch has made a significant recovery. After the harsh cold winter their leaves were very brown and I worried they would not survive. Now it looks quite healthy.
The river birch (not pictured) has been losing leaves for a month because of the dry weather and high temperatures. The front lawn is littered with them, making it look more like autumn is coming.In front a low compact hedge of Carissa Holly surrounds a crape myrtle on either side of the walkway. This area has not received any supplemental water, meaning it is holding up pretty well. The fescue lawn should recover but not until fall.
Ilex cornuta ‘Carissa’ (Carissa Holly) and Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle)
In back of the house where I have been watering, the garden is a mixed story. A new planter featuring Colocasia Royal Hawaiian ‘Black Coral’ (Black Coral Elephant Ear) looks very sad. All the plants were designated for full sun, but Euphorbia Diamond Delight is the only one living up to its name.
Colocasia Royal Hawaiian ‘Black Coral’ (Black Coral Elephant Ear)
Foliage on Hydrangea macrophylla understandably shows distress from the sun. But I am surprised to see the leaves of Hylotelephium telephium ‘Herbstfreude’ (Autumn Joy) looking sunburned as well.
Hydrangea macrophylla
Hylotelephium telephium ‘Herbstfreude’ (Autumn Joy)
Here are a sample of other plants around the garden whose foliage is looking healthy this week despite the weather.
Thanks to Christina at Garden of the Hesperides for hosting. Read her June foliage update from her holiday in the US and see more links to foliage perspectives from many parts of the world.
pbmGarden 
Your Brunnera is stunning, a bit different from B.Jack Frost.The leaves on your Colocasia are so huge, I hope your plants recover from their burn marks, the weather has a lot to answer for!
Pauline, I’ve enjoyed Brunnera ‘Silver Heart’ for brightening up a dark corner. Would like to get more plants or divide this one. I appreciate that you’re calling on the weather to answer for itself! Have a great week.
Two posts in one day is probably a better way to address proliferating memes than trying to cram them into one post. The weather certainly has been testing the resilience of our plants of late.
Hi Rickii, I’m easily distracted so it was simpler to do separate posts, though maybe more demanding on readers. Let’s hope we get some moderation in the weather soon. Hang in there.
The Colocasia leaf is so bold, it really makes a statement. I grow the much more modest Caladium that just mumble by comparison.
Caladium are wonderful but I haven’t had much luck with them, not really enough shade and who knows what else. I grew elephant ears the first year we moved in this house and haven’t been successful with them since, but they’re actually fairly common in this area.
So much has held up in the heat – if we ever get hot weather here (and that usually means no more than 90F) it’s always accompanied by dry winds which can really scorch the leaves. I guess the humidity has saved much of the foliage. All the plants in the last set of photos look magnificent!
I skipped watering yesterday so this morning was surprised to find many of the plants in decent shape. The dry winds sound challenging. Gardeners put up with a lot don’t we?
Susie, it is so good of you to write two posts today! All the foliage is looking great, despite the high temperatures and humidity, we’re now in Colorado where it is just as hot but with zero humidity so much easier to deal with it.
Well I wanted to join in GBFD since you took time from afar to host it. Was surprised to find some plants here in decent shape this morning, because I skipped watering yesterday. Glad you’ve left the humidity behind and hope you enjoy Colorado. I’ve seen Denver’s airport but nothing else.
The Brunnera really stands out with its lovely silvery leaves. And so many others are still looking great despite your heat. I am also surprised your Autumn Joy has suffered from scorching. That has never happened to mine even in extreme heat and drought (and mine never gets watered!)
I saw Brunnera showing up on many garden blogs for a couple of years and finally found one for my garden. It’s exceeded expectations. Poor Autumn Joy…
Some fine foliage examples, Susie. Love the way your Lagerstroemia grow out of the Ilex balls. The latter may be a good substitute for box as they’re so neat. I’ve two Lagerstroemias and hope they’ll flower for me this year although I’m a great admirer of their bark. Happy summer days 🙂
Thanks Annette. I hope your Lagerstroemias bloom for you. Have they ever? They’re suddenly flowering all over town this week. My smaller tree is blooming–it’s one that has regrown from the base after being knocked over in a storm several years ago.
I’m thinking the early hotter weather is portending a very hot summer, I’m surprised the Sedum foliage is affected. I had not heard of the name change, ouch! Your Brunnera looks wonderful anyway, I love the silvery hearts. The Ilex looks great too.
The sedum really has a name and a half now, doesn’t it. The Brunnera has performed very well from the first day I bought it so it is a favorite because it’s so well-behaved.
You have some great foliage despite the heat. I would love to be able to grow Caladium.
It’s surprising how some plants can tolerate the heat while others wilt, all sun loving and all summer plants. Caladium have not worked out in my garden but they are lovely.
Great foliage, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Anca. I appreciate you stopping by.
I like the way you’re very honest about the little imperfections. Gail at Clay and Limestone has posted a similar theme today. I agree that it’s good to accept the imperfections–they’re signs of reality and garden visitors. Happy summer!
Thanks Beth. It’s helpful to me to see what works and doesn’t work for other gardeners, so I like to show some of the frustrations I encounter. Other times it’s all smoke and mirrors to make it look appealing! Thanks for stopping in.