Little Known Fact: Plant Porn > Shoe Porn

There are more plants that I want than there are shoes.  This is a major statement, but easy to understand.  I mean, even trying my best, I'll never wear more than 2 different styles at one time - ideally, they'd be of similar heel height, but hey, keep an open mind, I guess.

But with the flora, oh, my goodness!  How much green (preferably black) goodness can be stuffed in a square foot?  Well, yah, depending on size, but you get my meaning.  And since I rarely refer to the template of reality, and lack any kind of aesthetic discipline, my gardens tend to be very crowded.  Sensory overload?  Who says that when confronted with an exquisite pastry selection?

So while I was waiting for the day to get really hot so I can garden (because suffering builds character, and I'm Asian), I trolled Gardendesign.com for "ideas" - and found some that really need to go in my garden, like, now.

Ghost fern (Athyrium 'Ghost')

OK, honestly, who can resist a name like "Ghost fern"?  And supposedly it glows at night because of its silvery color, hence the name.

Another fern with very awesome black stems:

Green Cliff Brake Fern (Cheilanthes viridis)

And these shrubby trees:

Elderberry (Sambucus "Black Lace")

Apparently the Elderberry also flowers quite heavily.  It's nice and all, but kind of unnecessary given the amazing color of the leaves, no?  And think of the rubbish!  I'm very anti-rubbish.

Elderberry (Sambucus "Black Lace")

Smoke Tree (Cotinus coggygria "Royal Purple")

And a closer shot of the Cotinus below.  Supposedly, it's the same, but the growth looks a lot different.  I like both!

Cotinus coggygria "Royal Purple"

Hmm, actually, I think that I have the Cotinus coggygria (top picture) in a pot.  OK, let me amend: I want more of them.   By the way, the close up shot of the Smoke Tree above is from UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research website which is a really interesting and useful (mostly for plant porn) site even for gardeners in tropical climes.

And some tender plants:

Pineapple Lily (Eucomis comosa "Sparkling Burgundy"

The Eucomis is the deep purple plant growing in the foreground.  I also am digging those plants in the background with the black stems.  Nice.

And a Canna:

Canna Tropicanna Black

I have a skinny leafed black canna which I'm doing my best not to kill.  The Canna Tropicanna Black above has such fatty leaves.  Love.  The flowers are a little unfortunate, but they only last a day, so I can deal.

And this is the reasonable list; the plants are all good in my zone!  Except for the Elderberry which is zone 4.  But 4 is just 10 - 6 which is just like.

Happy Sunday gardening everyone.