Foliage? After the harsh weather we have had here at the Fairegarden? Why yes, I do believe there is some handsome foliage to be found. We do so want to be a part of Pam at Digging’s world wide sharing of leaves called Follow Up Foliage Day. Would you care to follow me? Watch your step, as always, the climb can be a bit strenuous. (Editor’s note: Unlike the brash bloom day guide, seen here, the little goldfinch plays by the rules of etiquette.)
On the lowest level, behind the main house, in the rectangular hypertufa planter is a tussock of long haired moss, backed by the new Heuchera foliage of H. ‘Faire Piecrust’.
In the same vein, on a nearby rock step is an as yet unnamed Heuchera seedling nestled in a patch of moss. It has been growing in this same spot for over a year, with no soil. Even in the heat of summer and with no supplemental water, it clings. It should have a name that reflects that, something like Faire ??? what? Any suggestions out there in the blogdom? Or should we even bother?
In another hypertufa planter on the main level, the one with Leaf Man keeping watch over his plantings, is a miniature conifer, Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Lutea’, purchased at the University of Tennessee gardens last fall. A post about that plant sale is coming soon.
Thank you so much for following up the steep steps that lead to the knot garden. Let us rest on the bench for a moment. Even with wings, it is a strenuous journey. From the vantage point of the bench, we can see in the center quatrefoil that each semi-circle contains a Calluna vulgaris ‘Sunset’. There is nothing vulgaris (common) about these small shrubs.
If you look behind us, you will notice a row of these variegated juniper type shrubs, one of the very first things planted at the feet of the Hemlocks that hide the chain link fence at the very back of the property. We do not know the name, the tags were lost in the milieu of the start up here.
Are you ready to continue? Down we go then, past the shed bed that is planted with the charming grass that sways so readily in the slightest breeze, Nasella tenuissima. This is one of the best twelve month grasses we grow. It never has down time.
We have traveled past the hedge, along the black garden to the far eastern edge of the property, under the arbor. The above photo is chock full of goodies. If I might elaborate, the dead leaves are leftover from the volunteer pumpkin that ended up hanging by fishnet panyhose after frost killed the vine. The cucurbit is safely sitting on the floor of the mudroom, still encased in the stockings, waiting to be tossed into the same area to see if a repeat growth can occur. Its story can be read here-A Pumpkin Tale. The large black metal tubes are part of the wind chime hanging on the arbor, Westminster it says on the label. The rose backlit so nicely is R. ‘Fortune’s Double Yellow’, winding its way through the chime with pumpkin vine leftover bits still attached. The grass inflorescence is from a stray Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ that was tossed into the pile of unwanteds that line this area. Naturally it grew. In the background is the rosemary hedge, with the lovely blue chairs that are seen in many Fairegarden blog post photos rounding out the scenery.
Heading back towards the house we pass by the lower edge of the black garden, home to the miniature daylilies. Hemerocallis ‘Tiny Temptress’ is one that sports evergreen foliage. To the left is bearded Iris ‘Lacy Snowflake’ as identified by the tag. These tags may not be the most lovely of things, but we do like to know the names of things to keep track of which is whom.
Onward towards the garage deck we can see a fine example of the difference between the heaths and the heathers, Erica, heath, with the pointy piney needle like foliage, and Calluna, heather, with the scales. The Calluna is C. ‘Anthony Davis’, the Erica could be E. darleyensis ‘Spring Torch’.
On the moss covered slope of the daylily hill, tiny Sedum acre rosettes are visible in the blanket of moss with a few seedling forget me nots. An example of Mother Nature’s planting scheme at its best.
Around the corner from the forget me nots are some bulbs planted by the gardener, two types of grape hyacinths. Muscari armenium, or possibly M. neglectum? were here by the thousands when we bought the house and continue to mulitply. Muscari macrocarpum ‘Golden Fragrance’ was newly planted last fall. The thought of golden fragrance brings forth dreams of spring. Ahhh.
This planting is located on the top of Athena’s head, we hope she approves. While she is a warrior queen, she is also a flower child at heart, wisely.
Frances
Fairegarden 
What a gorgeous photo of the little finch. You have a gift for capturing beautiful images 🙂
Good morning Frances, up early aren’t you!It’s not fair! We can’t see any foliage here at all. It’s all covered in that white stuff! But looking at your pictures makes me feel hope and I know that in a few weeks it will look the same here =)
I just have to be patient (easy to say)
Have a nice day /kram gittan
Such a treat to see fresh foliage, Frances! Thanks for picking up on Pam’s idea and leading us on a lovely garden tour.
That long haired moss is just delicious! I also have a heuchera volunteer also growing out of a crack in a rock. I’m afraid to do anything to it, and it has been there 3 or 4 seasons now, acting like it belongs, even though it knows it can’t get very big.
What a lovely collection of foliage, Frances. I love the colors of Calluna vulgaris ‘Sunset’. It is lovely to see the grape hyacinth peeking through the soil, offering promises of spring. Your rock-clinging Heuchera is really something, perhaps ‘Faire Magic’ would be an appropriate name. 🙂
Frances,
Loved the gold finch! You can always find something beautiful in the garden!
I checked yesterday the crocuses and rock irises are coming up here. And the daffodils I gave the fifth graders to plant at the school are coming up too.
That Goldfinch sitting on the rocks says winter to me without any words. You have lots of great foliage in your garden Frances. I think I would call that heuchra seedling growing in the moss ‘Faire Amazing’ or ‘Toughie Faire”
Frances girl you have so much interest in your garden right now .. I had to look up that Mexican Feather grass and I so wish we could over winter it here too !
I put in three standard looking heathers and I am wondering if they will finally “take” in my garden .. I have tried three times before and FLOPPED .. this time lucky maybe .. I love your garden art face !! I want more room for more plants and more garden art : )
Very nice photos…I love all of the different shapes and textures. I was going to participate….but my heart had other plans…I posted about it.
There’s quite a lot happening with the foliage! The long moss look like a plush stuffed animal toy. As for the heuchera why not just call him Rocky! (I’m hearing ‘Eye of the Tiger’ in the Background at the moment!)
Frances, you have lovely specimens of foliage despite the cold weather. I would have joined in on this, but last week everything was covered with snow, and now as the snow recedes, I’m afraid all I have is brown mush. Thanks for showing the heather and heath side by side; I don’t have any and always wondered just what the difference was. Once again, you’ve inspired me to add some evergreens to the garden for more winter interest. I’m not feeling very creative this morning, but why not name the heuchera something simple like “Faire Frances”? Or you could go with another food name that so many of them have–“Faire Flan” or “Faire Frittata”:)
Lovely forms, movement and light in your photos Frances! So lovely to see such varieties of green foliage. We just had five inches of wet heavy snow… I worry for some of my bent over birches. Sweet goldfinch watching over your tour. Enjoy your green!! ;>)
Hi Frances! Your garden seems to be as charming in Januaty as it is in June!
I love the sunshine through your leaves – cheered me up on a very dull day here in the UK.
I believe it’s a holiday there today, right? If so, hope you have a good one 🙂
Since my garden is rather ho hum at present, it is a treat to run through yours to see so much going on. There is a true feeling of expectation at every turn.
Love the bird’s perspective! Up close in the branches!
Since heuchera is sometimes called coral bells, how about Fairie Bells?
I’d love to know more about growing Nasella tenuissima in the southeast. I often see it mentioned for western gardens only and haven’t pursued obtaining one through mail-order. Tell us more, please! 🙂
Thanks,
Cameron
Frances~~Love the foliage in your garden~I’ve long admired the Calluna vulgaris ‘Sunset’ a lovely year round pretty. One of my own favorite shots of your garden is the heuchera… What do you think of Faire Cliff or Pewter Faire. Have a fantastic day out there in the sunshine~~it’s cloudy and cool here and the ground is saturated from 2 inches of rain! ~~A good day to read blogs! gail
Thanks, Frances, for that little breath of spring. The Calluna ‘Sunset’ is very attractive. Does the red colouration change with the seasons?
Hello Frances,
I, for one, am grateful that you that you hiked around your garden to share these beautiful photos. I especially liked the long haird moss and the Calluna.
Heuchera ‘Faire Steel?’ For the grayish color and persistence?
The joke name suggestion is, of course, Heuchera ‘Renaissance Faire’ or ‘Faire Renaissance.’ (or maybe ‘Tennessee State Faire?’)
What is the name of the long haired moss? I gotta have some of that!
Good Evening Frances firstly I’ve never heard of that heuchera before – thats a new one for me to read up on. I am going to have a look in the garden centre tommorrow and see if there are any calluna sunsets. I think the foliage effect is wonderful from that little heather and it would look great in my scree bed at the front. I’ll let you know if I get one……. or two or three!
I’m away to read about your pumpkin tale – sounds interesting! It was a pleasure doing your garden tour.
Rosie
The long-haired moss is my favorite. I should post pictures of the battered hellebore foliage in my yard . . . or maybe not. My favorite Otto Luyken laurels look decent, just a bit of windburn, and the blue star junipers are great, but eveything else is very sad around here.
Frances, that long-haired moss is a stunner! Both the plant and the photo. Love it!
I’ve got forget me nots emerging here and there.
Your long haired moss looks great.
I bet that 60F temperature feels just wonderful.
Rob
It is so wonderful to see that in the dead of winter we can find life growing and thriving.
I’m going to just stay on the rock beside that spectacular ‘Sunset’ heather, Frances. That’s just about the most breathtaking colour display in an ericaceous plant I can remember. It’s nice to see the fresh greens of moss and new shoots, too.
What a dear little bird and some lovely foliage to be found in your garden Frances.
I haven’t seen Long-Haired Moss before. Very cool! It reminds me of a wig.
I second what Sweet Bay thought. I opened your post and said to myself that clever Frances has posted a picture of a Halloween wig for Foliage Follow Up. I decided several years ago that I was going let that couple, Heather and Heath, tease me no longer. They would always turn my head to the point of distraction, only to melt away in our summers. As to your Heuchera, ‘Fairely Resilient’.
I’ve been outside planting all day long, Frances, so I’m late to your foliage post, but thanks for joining in! You have so much green in your garden, but I did wonder at first if you were pulling my leg with that long-haired moss. It does not look real!
I agree about the Mexican feathergrass and use it as a filler throughout my garden. I also really like your Calluna vulgaris ‘Sunset’.
Been a busy weekend, just now getting to read all the postings. Thanks for the comparison of the Erica and Calluna. Plants that are similar confuse me until I learn the differences.
Love that long hair moss, very nice looking. As for your unnamed Heuchera..you know many Heuchera have food namesp everything from Caramel to Key Lime Ricky to Chocolate Pudding to Plum Pudding , I say you pick a favorite dark food, add Faire at the beginning of the name and viola, new name.
What lovely and interesting foliage. That moss is spectacular – and I see a lot of moss here in my rainforest city. And I love the bird shots. How DO you get them to pose?!
Frances, I LOVE the moss! Another plant to put on my wish list. All of your foilage photos are gorgeous-it looks like spring is starting to peek there. The unnamed Heuchera deserves a name after surviving it’s less than ideal conditions, but I am not very imaginative. I hope others are and come up with something suitable.
Hi Frances,
Some of the names plants get crack me up, Tiny temptress…what a hoot! The foliage in your garden is so varied, I think you have done a fantastic job with all the colors and textures, it really catches the eye! I am inlove with that little birdie. 🙂
Frances, thank you once again for a wonderful walk through your garden, I really enjoyed the exercise, such a pleasure not to have to wade through the snow. And so much delicious colour, such a relief to my eyes that have been slightly blinded by the white everywhere here!!!!
Deborah
It’s quite a work out following you up and down the slopes of Faire Garden Frances! No wonder you’re in such good shape. I cannot believe the spring bulbs that are up, never mind the array of foliage you shared, I want to fixate on that! I know they will appear in my garden, after they’ve bloomed in yours, so this morning I am encouraged!
ps Thanks for the tip on getting the paph to open faster. It already is in the warmest spot in my house tho and it still isn’t cooperating fast enough for me!! hee hee.
That long haired moss is a wonder. I love all chamaecyparis, but all of my outdoor foliage is buried under new snow.
Love seeing foliage in the middle of winter besides pines and evergreens. I had to smile at the courageous little heuchera and I’m over the moon for Athena’s head in your garden. Every time I see it in a photo I think of the movie, Lord of the Rings.
Amazing to see all the lush green life, Frances. Life is still snoozing here under a warm blanket of white snow.
Absolutely stunning. An assortment of beautiful plants and all that incredible light. Stunning!
I enjoyed the stroll and seeing all your foliage Frances. When all is said and done there’s much more of it about than flowers at this time of year 🙂 What about Heuchera Faire Moss Maiden as a name for your plant ?
At first, I thought the bird was a baby chicken lol, I heard the Saint watching “Dirty Jobs” in the background and they were chasing chickens in Miami so i guess I had chickens on my mind. lol… I love the pic of the bottle tree against the shed, so colorful…
Oh my it is all so breathtaking and of course your photos are beautiful. I especially love the first picture of the pink muhly grass. What a bright show it is putting on. I bought a small grass last year with mauve blooms. But this pink one makes mine look washed out. LOL But it’s just a baby so maybe it will be more showy as it grows.
What a great way to spend the day!!!