Welcome to GBFD where I encourage you to think about how foliage adds to the enjoyment of your gardens.
Visiting public gardens is often s great way to see and understand how foliage is used to add to the garden experierience when it is impossible to have flowers everywhere all the time.
As many of you will have read on Susie’s (PBM Garden) post I had the great pleasure to meet her and spend the day visiting gardens with her. As she mentioned it was extremely hot made worse by the very high humidity, which I’m not used to at all.
Together we visited Duke Garden, for more information about the garden do check out Susie’s posts about it, below is an image I think exemplifies the use of form and texture to create interest. Also the use of void space (something I want to include in the new design for my own garden.
Also seen in the garden were some beautiful Japanese maples.
I’d almost forgotten that these beautiful colours were possible in summer as they are only present in autumn, and even then only rarely.
I’ll be writing more about the pleasure of meeting Susie, we both felt that we had known each other well for some time and shared the kind of conversation that only happens when two passionate gardeners get together. Meeting fellow bloggers has been an unexpected additional pleasure in writing a blog.
Later in the week we were in Charleston at Magnolia Plantation, were Spanish moss (not a moss at all btw, but a relation of the pineapple) drips from the centuries old Live Oaks – I need to check on the Latin name of this.
If you look really closely you might see the eyes of an aligater just above the surface of the water.
To join GBFD please just link to this post and leave a comment with the link to yours. I’ll be traveling again tomorrow so I’ve posted a little early. I hope you’re all having a great gardening June.
This is posted from my iPhone so please forgive any glaring errors. Christina
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
I love the swamp effect. Everyone seems to be blogging about visits to beautiful gardens, I’m getting very jealous. Amelia
Magnolia plantation had real swamps this was more of a pond, but then what’s the difference?
hello Christina, I had been wondering why you were not posting on your blog, I didn’t realise you were away, glad it is something nice keeping you from blogging, your photos look interesting, thanks for finding time to still host the foliage meme, I have just posted about some foliage, Frances
Yes, I’m in the U.S., FIRSTLY FOR A WEDDING AND THEN A HOLIDAY. Thanks for joining GBFD this month Frances
The first scene with a lone Dasylirion wheeleri in the lawn is too cool and unexpected!
I loved the first photo Christina. But I couldn’t find the alligator in the last one! Enjoy the rest of your trip. By the way, a German garden show was on TV here and they had created a formal baroque garden using Santolina instead of Box. It was quite effective and apparently can be trimmed well.
Your photos certainly made for a different foliage day, I couldn’t find the alligator either! I will look forward to seeing some wonderful shots of your holiday in the USA.
My link is…http://leadupthegardenpath.com
The gator was very hard to see, I’ll have to check that I added the right image! Thanks for joining in again this month Pauline.
I couldn’t find the gator either….but the photo with the Spanish moss is just incredible! I love the restful green of the first photo, even on a hot summers day. Here is my link: https://railwayparade.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/gbfd-june-coloured-foliage/
The moss is amazing, like some image of an enchanted wood. Thanks for joining in again Matt.
Some of this looks familiar! Thanks for the mention. Glad you got to see Charleston. Growing up I used to see lots of Spanish moss and always loved it. It’s amazing how many new home developments now exist in places that once looked swampy and unbuildable.
https://pbmgarden.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/garden-bloggers-foliage-day-june-2015/
The Spanish moss is amazing, nothing is like it in Europe. Thanks for joining GBFD on Monday!
Hi Susie, I’m not sure my comment connected this morning, the moss is really amazing and there isn’t anything like it in Europe.
Sounds as if you are having a great trip Christina, even though there has been humidity, hope you have some cooler weather in store. Looking forward to more updates,
We’re now in Colorado, still a 100 degrees F, but zero humidity so it feels much more comfortable.
Hope you’re having good travels, Christina. That first shot is especially nice. Do you know what the plant in the right corner is? I looks a little like a Sotol, but I may be wrong. Thanks for hosting GBFD On-The-Road. http://mygardenersays.com/2015/06/22/garden-bloggers-foliage-day-2015
Hi Tina, sorry I’m not familia with the plants here, I think Desert dweller mentioned the name but I can’t see his comment while I’m replying to yours on my iPad. Thank you for joining GBFD, I’m looking forward to reading your post.
You said there were glaring errors, but I didn’t spot a single one! Sounds like an exciting trip so far and I hope you have the time to share a few pictures when you get back. I didn’t get in on GBFD this month, it seems the whole month has been flying by, but hopefully things will slow shortly. Enjoy your trip!
Thanks Frank, I’m having a great time, and yes I’ll write some posts when I get home. I only take a few photographs with my phone and that’s what I need to do a post!
Lovely photos of the Duke gardens! I hope you are having a good trip and safe travels. You must have hundreds of photos to share! Here is our June foliage, which is getting bigger and better each day: https://forestgardenblog.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/garden-bloggers-foliage-day-june/ Best wishes, WG
Thanks WG, we’re having a great time. Do you live near the Dukes garden? Thank for joining GBFD this month.
Glad you’re having such a great time. I was born in Chapel Hill, and my father took my mother to those gardens to walk when she was ready to deliver. They loved the gardens. I live several hours northeast of them now, In Williamsburg. How long will you be in the US? You certainly came during a heat wave! Hope you’re holding up OK. My pleasure to join you again this month 😉 WG
Spanish Moss wasn’t a moss, but had no idea it was related to pineapples! It’s beautiful, though, isn’t it? I think the live oak you are looking at is Quercus virginiana, but there are a whole bunch of evergreen live oaks that go by the same common name. Duke looks like a wonderful garden (never been there), but I do prefer my gardens without alligators! Here is my GBFD contribution. https://gardeninacity.wordpress.com/2015/06/23/foliage-and-fruits-of-june/
So you have now experienced our heat and humidity! It is so much worse this year, for this month, than usual: too bad it is during your visit! I will write you soon and begin to plan the end of August trip!
Thanks, Christina, for the great idea of celebrating the foliage ”behind the scene”! A little bit late, but I am in: http://gradinameasialtefermecatorii.blogspot.ro/2015/06/garden-bloggers-foliage-day-june-2015.html
I was wondering if you would possibly be interested in a guest blogging opportunity with Gardening Know How? If so, please e-mail me for details at:
shelley AT gardeningknowhow DOT com
Thanks!
Ask me again when you see me blogging regularly again, I’m traveling at present so unable to write.
I am impressed at how easily you are posting from the road and capturing great shots…those iphones can do so much. The heat and humidity of summers here in the US are brutal.
Hi Donna we’re now in Colorado where the temperatures are no higher than the East of the country but the humidity is very low so much easier to cope with.
Gorgeous gardens! But I confess I never could find those alligator eyes. South Alabama also has beautiful live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, truly a wonderful sight. And Christina, you were almost in my neck of the woods!
I’m going to have to check the image; maybe I used the wrong one!
I’m new to blogging and delighted to have discovered your beautiful website, Christina. Celebrating foliage is a brilliant idea.
Welcome to My Hesperides Garden Kate and thank you for following; I’m sure you’ll enjoy the blogging experience, it has become an important part of my life.
Thanks for the kind words of encouragement and for taking the time to look at the garden website. Lovely to see the stunning sunflowers have give you such a warm welcome home.
The sunflowers are pretty impressive; many of the plants are over 7 feet tall.
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