Although there is some color in the garden, hydrangeas, daylilies, butterfly bush, jasmine and roses, today I'm focusing on shades of green. With temperatures about to increase and the humidity rising, usual weather for the southeast at this time of year, I really enjoy having so much green around the house. A cooling, comforting array of so many shades and hues, green is Nature in all her glory.
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The term, "variegated" is applied to a flower or, more often, a leaf that has more than one color. Most often, it will be two-toned (bi-colored). This means the foliage is blotched, striped, or bordered with a lighter color than that on the rest of it (or vice versa).  In full bloom now, wild ginger is not variegated, the white flowers make it look that way from a distance though. It makes a great ground cover but needs to be kept in check or will take over the garden!  The fig tree is awesome. It's palm-shaped leaves are all one shade of green, but note I have pots of variegated ivy tucked underneath. I know I have a habit of saying every year once the tree has fully leafed out and the branches are loaded with fruit, that this tree is quite spectacular. Last year we had the width pruned a little to keep it off the driveway. Seems that it has made it even more healthy! It truly is huge, and quite beautiful. If a tree ever had a 'fan club' this one might be the winner with more people commenting on it when passing by . . . . . . and then lining up late summer to pick luscious sweet figs by the bowl or basketful. How are your fig trees this year? I know some of you started out small as did I with this one so many years ago. Hope you are getting figs by now.  |
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