Friday, July 16

July 2010 Foliage Follow-Up

I seem to be spending a lot of time coming and going this month, so it seemed appropriate to show off a few of the plants from my front porch for the July Foliage Follow-Up. 

At the top of the brickwork on the stairs, I have two large stone capstones that are perfect for hosting a mishmash of houseplants for the summer.  Here's a shot of the left-hand side:

I really love the jewel orchid that's tucked between the orchid cactus and the twisty sansevieria.  Here's a closeup as seen from the side of the stairs:

The prickly foliage on the right, behind the orchid cactus, is from a cutting of rat tail cactus that I rooted in the same pot.  The tiny green foliage in the upper left is from some random little succulent that I rooted with the jewel orchid to help disguise the bareness of its base.

Behind all of this is one of two huge cycads (aka sago palms) that I was given by a co-worker at the garden center.  The foliage is cool, but I really really really love their trunks, which look a little bit like exotic pinecones:


These are the things that I most notice when I'm leaving the house.  When I'm coming home, the first thing I notice is how cozy the citronella plant (overwintered in the attic) has become with the monstrous blue agave:
I had actually put the geranium there specifically so that I (and Coco, and any visitors) would have a little buffer between ourselves and the thick, stiff agave spines.  Luckily, the two of them seem to be happy together!

At the top of the steps, I look to the left of the doorway to check the recovery of my variegated ginger and dark-leaf ficus:

I had them in too much sun for a while, and the ficus started showing signs of sunburn.  The ginger became thin and spindly--it can handle more sun, but it needs more water in those conditions.  I'm stingy with the hose, so it's much easier to keep this plant happy under cover of the porch roof.  Plus, the leaves look so dramatic and tropical together as you look down on them from above:

As I fumble with my keys, I look over at the crazy (crazy because I have to bring this whole mess inside in a few months!) monstera container, and admire its lushness. I also like the 'Autumn' philodendron tucked in beside it.  The leaf and pot colors pick up the oranges and pinky-peaches of the heuchera and begonias in the Monstera planting, and the black river rock plays off of the 'Illustrus' elephant ears that dangle above:

That's all I've got for today's Foliage Follow-Up.  If Pam has recovered enough from her Buffa10 excursion, she should be posting her own foliage review and hosting a roundup of other contributors... especially this month, as Austin has been enjoying some unseasonably nice weather!  Head on over to Digging to check it all out... and have a great weekend!

9 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

You have lots of plants to bring in. I wish I had more room. I would probably have more tropicals. They are fun to have during winter. I just love your agave. They are such structural plants. Here Lowes has all of their cactus and succulents marked $1. I am always tempted to purchase them. Then during winter they become spindly and lean and are never the same.

commonweeder said...

Beautiful agave! Foliage follow up is a great idea because it makes us all pay more attention to our foliage, which is ever present no matter what is in bloom.

Kerri said...

Hi Kim! Great to catch up with you and see what's going on in your garden. How nice that you got to meet Leslie, and yes, I understand the feeling of having all those unfinished/undone chores on display...there's never enough time! But you're right - a gardener sees the plants and not the weeds, etc. and appreciates how much time it takes to keep a garden looking good.
Your pineapple lily is neat and I too love the leaves of the jewel orchid.
That Bonfire begonia basket is gorgeous!
Happy summer!

Pam/Digging said...

Oops, I did not recover from my Buffa10 trip in time to post for FFU, but I am glad that you did. You have a lot going on at your front door, which must really entice your visitors. I know I would have to slow down to look at everything. So many of your tender potted plants are ones we grow in the ground, but it still astonishes me to see them growing in your northern garden.

Gail said...

Great FF~like Pam, I am still trying to recover and barely got my GBBD post up! You must have a basement~sigh~to store these gorgeous beauties all winter, 'cause I know it gets rel cold up there! gail

Denise said...

I'm in awe of you northerners dragging all that stuff in for the winter, what amazing devotion. And I keep pots on a capstone too, but mostly in winter. In summer it's too difficult to keep the pots there watered. The ginger is beautiful -- a plant I haven't grown yet!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi;
Popped over to pay you a visit and thank you for commenting on my blog. You've rekindled my desire for an agave! I wonder if any variety could winter out here? Hmmm...

Happy belated bloom day and foliage follow up! :D

Rosie@leavesnbloom said...

I really like the leaves of your jewel orchid they look like velvet

joey said...

Good stuff, dear Kim! (But I began hyperventilating when you mentioned bringing stuff in!) Summer is slipping by way too fast for me :(

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