First up is the Elaeagnus, which I featured in my plant ABC's a few weeks ago. The new foliage has since turned from bronze to silver, and recently with our slightly overcast days it's been very pretty.
Elaeagnus is a a pretty backdrop for the pale yellow-green leaves (just now visible) of the American Beautyberry by the driveway (Callicarpa americana).
The Elaeagnus also makes a great backdrop for the Texas Mountain Laurel 'Silver Peso' (Sophora Secundiflora) we added to the front garden last fall. It surprised with two tiny blooms this spring. The blooms never fully opened, but with plenty of new growth this spring it won't be too many years before we see full sized blooms. The new foliage is very soft and the deer have been nibbling so I am going to put a cage around it for a while.
Artemesia Powis Castle in front of the Eleagnus and Beautyberries is beginning to spread out a bit.
Artemesia Wormwood out back by the creek is doing well among the wild verbena and rocks. It's also known locally by the Spanish name Estafiate and is used as a medicinal herb.
Gray Santolina with the sages in the front island bed. Santolina smells like new tires so the deer don't bother it. Easy to grow from cuttings and takes heat and drought well, Santolina is a great edging plant for the gravel garden.
To see more foliage photos check out other garden blogger's Foliage Follow-Up posts at Digging.
