I am back in Aberdeen after a very wet stay at my sister’s down in the New Forest in Hampshire. Unfortunately her mother-in-law was in hospital following a stroke which meant a daily round trip of about 3 hours for visiting. I went down to help with some of the day to day stuff that was getting neglected. Now, my priorities were not necessarily the same as my sister’s and I did manage to plant some spring bulbs both in the garden and in pots. I did feel some days that I would have been better planting rice as the soil is quite heavy clay – not good after continual rain. I do hope the bulbs survive. Irene was making good progress when I left and will hopefully be home for Christmas and certainly in time to enjoy the bulbs in the Spring.
So on Friday it was back to an equally wet Aberdeen. I managed to get out briefly yesterday to take some GBFD photographs and plant a few more of my own bulbs.
At this time of the year the variegated shrubs really come into their own. I know they are not everyone’s cup of tea but when you have such a long dark winter you need all the brightness you can get in the garden.
Eleagnus 18 months old
I have a very mature shrub of this same Eleagnus Maculata in the bottom hedge and it has been wonderful. I had a bit of trouble finding the same variety for the long border. It was put in as a very small shrub in April 2013 – see how much it has grown.
New Eleagnus Maculata
This rhododendron at the bottom end of the long border is also growing fast now I have given it some space.
Rhododendron Molten Gold
And the boring white house wall benefits from some euonymous plants.
Euonymous
Everywhere the garden looks very yellow and brown, with most of the brown coming from fallen beech leaves.
Bottom hedge
But not all. . .
Astilbe leaves adding to the garden’s brown tones
The leaves provide a foil for some lovely green plants. .
Dryopteris Erythrosora
Pinus Mugo Mops
The garden is not totally green, yellow and brown. If you look hard you can find a bit of colour.
Cotoneaster Autumn colour
The cotoneaster leaves are a lovely shade of pink at the moment.
There is the odd pretty leaf on the cherry
Cherry leaf Autumn Colour
And is the Nandina actually going to give us an Autumn display this year?
Nandina Domestica Firepower
More reliable colour comes from the Cornus round the side.
Red Stemmed Cornus
And the Cotinus
Red Cotinus leaves
Erica Arborea Albert’s Gold has recovered.
My Erica Albert’s Gold has recovered from its lack of correct pruning in its early days and looks a lovely splash of green agains the dark leaved Escallonia Apple Blossom.
When you are desperate even the shrivelled leaves of the Echinops have a certain beauty.
Shrivelled leaf of Echinops
Throughout the damp garden the mosses and lichens are growing very happily.
Moss on stone
This will look so pretty in the Spring when those primroses are out.
Until then we can continue to enjoy foliage posts thanks to Christina’s Garden Blogger’s Foliage Days.
I am not a great fan of variegated foliage but it is welcome in winter. I have a spotted laurel next to a variegated Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald n Gold’ which I would never dream of planting, they were here when we came. But although in theory I don’ t like them, in winter they are really bright and sunny. Your Eleagnus is lovely and it is so useful for winter arrangements. Buttercup yellow is just what we need on these gloomy November days.
I didn’t think I liked variegated foliage either until I did an earlier post on it and realised how much I have in the garden! I think I prefer the gold coloured foliage to the silver one.
Annette, glad you are back! I always enjoy walking in your garden!
Thank you so much. I have also been busy with the photography course as have you!
Thank you very much for joining in GBFD this month; I knew someone would show me the colour Cotinus should be! Yours is lovely. Looking oking at your Nandina I thought at first it wan’t a Nandina at all the foliage is so very different from mine, but I checked on line and variety you have as yours. It says it is a dwarf variety so I imagine it grows even more slowly than the species.
I checked it out when I bought it a few years ago on a bargain bench. I think the priority was to find a protected spot for it in full sun as when I bought it it had been severely frost damaged. It has been really slow growing and isn’t supposed to get very big. Mind you I have had these dwarf varieties before and find they do not always stay small. I might need to move it nearer the front of the border though as it is a bit lost at the back.
Looks lovely to me – winter is coming….
It certainly is. It is dark at 4pm now and very damp, but not cold yet.
Good to see so much colour left in your garden. I do love cotinus, especially at this time of year. It’s about time I cleared out a space for one I think.
I have only had this a couple of years and it has been beautiful and no trouble at all.
Enjoyed the trip through your garden with the foliage colors.
Thank you for your visit. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Looks like you’re well set for the upcoming winter, lots of interesting foliage colors and shapes, and I hope your nandina colors up for you!
Even so the garden always looks a bit bare in winter after the excesses of summer, but then we don’t go out into it very often so it doesn’t matter too much. Still no more colour on the nandina. . .but still hopeful.