Wet and frosty foliage
Frost on the leaves of Hardenbergia
One of the best pieces of advice I can give to those designing a garden is put your most interesting foliage nearest the paths so that you can enjoy it in every season. Great foliage is always pleasing, no matter what the weather or time of day or year. Australian natives have marvellous foliage. The variety of shapes and display of colours is breathtaking.
One of my particular garden pleasures is to walk around in the early morning, or after rain, to admire the beauties of wet or icy foliage. ‘that unearthly clear shining after rain’ Colour, Dorothea McKellar
Eucalypt leaves have a special relationship with rain and ice. The drops sit on the leaves like jewels, or drop along the margins like a necklace. Below is Eucalyptus gunnii showing drops sitting on foliage (below left) and depending along the margins (below right). Eucalyptus gregsoniana has teardrop ice crystals at the end of each leaf and around the developing buds (Ben’s hands were freezing as he took this shot and I heard a few complaints about cruelty to photographers.)
Myoporum floribundum has distinctive foliage in any weather, but is particularly attractive with droplets hanging from its fringe of fine leaves (below left). Acacia cognata ‘Lime Magik’ has fine, pendent, lime-yellow foliage which shows up well in the rain (below right).
Hakea pachyphylla has fine dark green leaves which give an overall array of droplets. Xanthorrhoea australis , or Grass Tree, has a spray of fine green foliage which displays a pleasing arrangements of drops. Callistemon viminalis ’Hannah Ray’ has blunt, drooping foliage which also shows off raindrops . Acacia covenyi or Bluebush is prized for its silver-grey foliage which contrasts nicely here with the yellow of the flowerbuds. Even short leaves like those of Correa ‘Barossa Gold’ look more attractive in the rain. Callistemon pityoides has fine dark green leaves which suspend plenty of drops.
from the left: Callistemon viminalis ‘Hannah Ray’, Acacia covenyi, Correa ‘Barossa Gold’, Callistemon pityoides
Best of all in the rain, and our gardener John’s favourite, is Casuarina cunninghamii, with fine linear foliage which seems to hold the raindrops captive in the light.
Grevillea insignis or Wax Grevillea has distinguished ‘holly-like’ blue grey foliage, very prickly and always attractively veined with the sun shining through it. Here it not only has raindrops, but also wet spider webs to add to the show . Overall sheen added to eucalypt leaves also increases their beauty, Eucalyptus gregsoniana, . The buds of Eremophila hold water. Ricincarpus tuberculatus ‘Bridal Star’ or Wedding Bush has delicate dark green linear foliage with red stems . Eucalyptus pyriformis or Pear-fruited Mallee cradles raindrops on its leaves . Grevillea ‘Elegance’ has thin, elegant dark green foliage which always looks terrific, but is particularly showy in rain.
Starting at the top left: Grevillea insignis, Eucalyptus gregsoniana, Eremophila, . Ricincarpus tuberculatus ‘Bridal Star’ and Eucalyptus pyriformis.
Some foliage is amazingly shiny and looks even better in the rain. Pandorea ‘Mt. Macedon’, and Coatesia paniculata have shiny foliage at any time, but it is enhanced by rain. Acacia blayana has elegant foliage, but with rain and buds becomes a feast for the eyes.
From the top left: Pandorea ‘Mt. Macedon’, Coatesia paniculata and two images of Acacia blayana
