Reflections

Perennial gardens are often all about flowers, when and how long they bloom, their colors, shapes and fragrance or lack of it. But foliage is not an incidental factor in plant choice.  The shapes of leaves and stems, their relative sturdiness and longevity can be as effective as the blossoms themselves in creating a beautiful garden design. Obvious examples come to mind such as the massive-leafed hosta, spiky iris and feathery astilbe. Some of my favorite photos of plants are in black and white for that reason. Through the eye of the lens, we see those patterns more dramatically. A few favorite illustrations from my upcoming novel, RANGE OF MOTION, are cases in point. The spiderwort or tradescantia was a particular childhood favorite of mine from my grandmother's garden. The leaves are similar to the common daylily also shown here. But spiderwort's three-petaled flowers are fascinating and exotic. Although it is technically considered a 'wildflower', it is a lovely addition to any garden. The flowers of the lamium can be invasive but I love it in borders where its purple, yellow or white flowers pale compared to the showy leaves. The leaf variety shown here is marked with a stripe down the center.