Red Riot

Red in my garden is a welcome accent against all the shades of green foliage.  From flying creatures, flowers and foliage, red is a color that catches the eye.  Anyone know the name of this colorful flying insect enjoying the Sweet Almond?

Stopping to smell the Louis Philippe roses I realize even their scent is connected to the color red.  Their smell reminds me of cherry flavored candy.  Is it just because I'm seeing cherry-red that I imagine this?  

The Bottle Brush tree is blooming away now that it has reached a height of ten feet.  I have been happily watching its red blooms attract hummingbirds and bees.  

Accent foliage of magenta red hues really pops against the shades of green in the shady tropical corner.  Blood Leaf Irisine  has made it through even our colder winters.  This year, with the mild winter temperatures, it has remained a small bush and with its spring growth I can see it becoming an even larger presence.  

First time in a long time the Ti plants have shown height as well as their lovely colors.  The background of white Caladiums is early in appearing too.  Love this spring!

My favorite cardinal family is still nesting in the azalea bushes and visiting the feeders throughout the day.  I love the flitting flashes of red they bring to the garden.

Colorful Leaves

Sometimes a leaf can be just as eye-catching as a bloom.  Different varieties of coleus are planted each year as annuals throughout the garden.  Some are pass-alongs from other's gardens, some are over-wintered from cuttings placed in water and brought into the house and some are purchased new each spring.

Most come without any identification.  That's fine with me, I wouldn't remember their names anyway.  The colors reflect the caladium colors and provide a nice contrast of leaf shape.  With similar light and water needs, these two plants make a good pairing.

Frilly leaves of bright chartreuse, purple, pink, and cream all create a bright spot in the shade gardens.  There are some coleus that can take quite a lot of sun but all of mine are planted in dappled shade.  They seem less thirsty with more shade. 

The variegated cast-iron plant which is another plant that was passed-along to me, is really starting to settle into its spot and put out more of those lovely leaves.  The cast-iron plant is an old Southern shade garden staple that is not that easy to find for sale at garden centers.  Aren't gardening friends the best?

Last May, this curcuma was blooming.  Not this May.  But, I love the leaves with that burgundy mid-rib and count on their appearing each year.  They show up by April and last through November.  The beautiful fuschia bloom is a bonus I hope to get soon.

Lots of caladiums were planted beneath the big oak tree this spring and they haven't disappointed me a bit.  My new favorite foliage plant, blood leaf irisine, shines in the slanting rays of the afternoon sun.  It is an eye-catcher for sure.   Irisine is another plant that is easy to propagate from cuttings.  I had a few small cuttings that were planted last fall that weren't fazed by the cold weather.  I'm hoping that the ones I've spread around in other areas will be as hardy.

I love having interesting foliage plants as much as I do the flowering plants.  They all have their unique charms.