Friday, September 23, 2016

Garden Foliage in September

garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, muhlenbergia, regal mist
Perhaps because we receive so little rain here (averaging about 8 in/20 cm per year), it is magical when it does come, inducing the gardener to go out and stand in it, watching the plants as they drink it in.  Also fascinating is to watch how the foliage holds raindrops, creating transient patterns of light and reflection otherwise absent in the garden.

Each plant is different.

Layers of drops rest in among the layers of close-set leaves on Callistemon viminalis "Little John"...
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, callistemon, little john
...while the agaves hold theirs as if on a wide platter...
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, agave
Agave parryi (I think!)
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, agave, marmorata
Agave marmorata
...or caught along the edge.
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, agave, angustifolia, marginata
Agave angustifolia marginata
On cacti the drops may be beaded among the spines.
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, cactus, trichocereus, spachinanus
Trichocereus spachianus
The fern-like foliage of Caesalpinia pulcherrima carries raindrops in glittering sprays.
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, caesalpinia pulcherrima, red bird of paradisegarden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, caesalpinia, pulcherrima, red bird of paradise, pride of barbados
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, caesalpinia, pulcherrima, red bird of paradise, pride of barbados
And the grass Muhlenbergia capillaris "Regal Mist" carries perfect rows along its round blades.
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, muhlenbergia, capillaris, regal mist, muhly grass
Each rainfall is different as well; this was a very gentle, light rain that left plenty of large drops hovering around the garden.  But it is fascinating to consider the patterns formed between the plants and the rain.

Thanks to Christina at My Hesperides Garden for hosting the Garden Bloggers' Foliage Day, which inspired this post.
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, agave, artemisia, powis castle
Agave angustifolia marginata with Artemisia "Powis Castle"
If you have time, please check my last post as well, in which I look at some new plans for the blog and ask about what would be most at issue for my readers as I change over.
garden bloggers foliage day, gbfd, raindrops, photography, amy myers, desert garden, small sunny garden, ruellia brittoniana
Ruellia brittoniana
Weather Diary: Partly cloudy; High: 83 F (28 C)/Low: 64 F (18 C); Humidity: 14%-89%

7 comments:

  1. The raindrops are a beautiful sight! Congratulations on receiving some of Mother Nature's bounty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've enjoyed it so much - almost as much as the plants... ;-)

      Delete
  2. rain glorious rain!
    We had 'blowing wet' here today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooh, it's been a looong time since I've seen any 'blowing wet'! Hope you managed to stay dry!

      Delete
  3. Fabulous pics! Raindrops can so enhance both foliage and blooms.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, RD :) It introduced such a wonderfully new set of textures; I even wondered whether one could design a planting with raindrops in mind - in areas of higher rainfall, of course!

      Delete
  4. That beautiful pictures Amy, I'm impressed with your photos ... technique and art !!
    My congratulations, well done ;)

    ReplyDelete