Friday, June 27, 2014

My Big Leaves

I like big leaves and I cannot lie...

Although a few of my big leaves are evergreen, in summer, I love all my big-leafed plants even more. I just want a jungle of them around me when it's hot. Here's Trachycarpus fortunei.
I like the ones I have to look up to, like Fatsia japonica.

My developing Tetrapanax nursery of leaves.

Upright big leaves are great, too. Here's Zantedeschia 'Flame'.

And Eucomus comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy'.

The leaves of Eucomus pallidiflora ssp pole-evansii will get even bigger as summer rolls on.

Even Cyperus involucratus 'Baby Tut' won't be outdone.

Some of the Syneilesis hybrid leaves are over 16 inches across this year.

A recent addition to the big-leaf collection, two Canna 'Tropicanna'. Their foliage color is perfect in my garden.

The Acanthus both have sizable leaves. Here is A. spinosa, and below it, A. mollis.
Even some of the NOID hostas get into the act.
There's some big foliage I covet that I'll have to leave to those with more room - Gunnera manicata and Magnolia macrophylla come to mind. But love the leafy big boys I have the room for, especially when they strut their stuff in summer.

May the big leaves of summer grow even bigger!

22 comments:

  1. I like big leaves too. My 'Sub and Substance' hosta is really outdoing itself this year. And, like you I wish I had more room. I'd definitely give Gunnera a go and Magnolia macrophylla would be front and center. But that's okay. Life is good. Have a great weekend, Jane.

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    1. We just have to be more creative in our appreciation of the big leaves we can grow, Grace.

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  2. I felt my pupils dilate as I read this post. I adore big leaves too.

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  3. I love big leaves too! My Acanthus spinosa seems to be doing ok, but I can't get A. mollis to establish here, I've tried twice. I'd love a big-leaf Magnolia, but I'm not quite sure where I'd put it.

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    1. I'm going to make sure you get a start of my Acanthus mollis, Alison. You need this plant!

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  4. That's such a sexy Tetrapanax shot!

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    1. It doesn't feel quite so sexy when I'm battling my way into the back of the bed!

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  5. I seemed to hear strange rapper music as I began to read your post. That is a beautifully colored Canna leaf, light peachy glowing colors instead of just burgundy.

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    1. Strange rapper music, Hannah? I can't imagine what you are thinking ;-)

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  6. Size matters! Nice parade of the big guys.

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  7. Oh so big and tropical looking - love them!

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    1. There's nothing like a summer jungle in our temperate rainforest, right, Peter?

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  8. I'm excited that Eucomis will grow here, and will come back after a hard (for the PNW) winter. Just last weekend I asked a lady hosting an open garden how she got her phormium to come back. It was big and robust and didn't look newly planted. She said it was Eucomis!

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    1. I may have some Eucomis (corms? bulbs?) for you at our fall plant exchange, Amy. I have too many plants!

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  9. I bought a tiny plug of Gunnera the other day at Fry Road. There is something magical about those huge leaves. I may live to regret it but... you gotta love gardening. :)

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    1. A tiny plug today, a massive, house-devouring monster tomorrow. You garden, Grace! ;-)

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  10. You do have some mighty leaves there. They have a sort of prehistoric grandeur, kind of exciting, as if a dinosaur were about to peak out from behind one.

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  11. What I wouldn't do for a nice big fatsia. Gorgeous! I know this post is about the leaves, but I can't believe you have calla blooms! Mine are so slow, I don't even see buds yet. I need to move them to a full sun location. Right now they are on the west side of the house and get shade until sometime after 12.

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  12. I'm with you on big foliage in summer...in z 8b/9a, it might seem easy summer or winter, but not with the eternal sun at 4,000'...cold, dry, windy winter fronts...and 3 months of dry spring winds...and 3+ months of dry heat! But there are some palm options I didn't have 260 miles north:-) Your garden is incredible. Trachy nothing...the Fatsia and the Zantedeschia 'Flame' rule...

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