Annabelle Hydrangea flowers take a mid summer turn to pale green from purest spring white.
August greens press in as we Southern gardeners endure the last month of summer. The odd pops of color or stand alone white flower stalks and leaf shapes here and there along the garden paths really make a difference in the woodland garden experience. Above, the last of a pink flowering phlox droops over Holly Fern, Oxalis, Sedum and Tricyrtis. All these plants seeded here on their own making a lovely natural grouping near the house foundation.
Spring hydrangea flowers don't drop off their growing tips but dry on the shrubs. They turn different colors on different species. Above, Hydrangea serrata 'Presiosa' turns a luscious dusty rose. Below, the dripping panicles of an Oak leaf Hydrangea cultivar, H. quercifolia 'Snowflake' turn a beautiful buff brown from the stem up.
Two other summer blooming Hydrangeas are H. paniculata 'Tardiva' (above) standing 10' tall in a side garden in a mixed planting of conifers and ground covers. And below, see a close up of the panicles H.'Limelight'. The species (2nd) name of these hydrangeas is paniculata and directly translates to describe the shape and type of the blooming structure. The mostly upright flowering panicles stand out against the crisp blue green foliage of these two cultivars.
Below, tiny tubular flower clusters on the ends of Abelia chinensis appear just in time to provide nectar to Black Swallowtail and Monarch butterflies.
(Above) It's impossible to miss the lavender tinted white trumpets of bloom on 'Honey Pie' Hosta, shown on the left, at this time of year and the 4" long pure white fringed flowers of Hosta 'Guacomole' on the right. I have them both elevated to be able to better enjoy the display. If the leaves aren't enough to satisfy then the exploding flower stalks surely will please the most disinterested visitor passing by.
This year I planted green edged White Caladium in two places that I pass everyday. The huge leaves are a beacon in the garden on moonlit nights.
On the other end of the size spectrum,
dripping out of a chair planter is a delicate snow dusting of Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost' that gets 1/2 sun with ambient reflected light from a concrete driveway.
Two Begonias, one hardy and the other a annual provide pink spots floating above their foliage. The hardy begonia with the large leaf on the right is fertile and will multiply by seed.
Pink is also picked up in Coleus foliage. I let some of the flower spikes stay on for the Hummingbirds.
Deep purple leaves of Oxalis triangularis regnellii and an almost black Heuchera (below) create a visual depth when placed next to brighter leaves with interesting textures.
A singular stem of a variegated Canna pushes out the first of many orange glazed flowers. I can watch them expand from my kitchen window.
When all seems only green there are other ways to brighten up the garden scene. Above, a metal sculptural flower and below, a patterned platter brighten up dull shady areas.
However, the most interesting piece of color in my garden is set in a screen behind a destination swing. It is one of 8 identical triangles that made up part of a stained glass conservatory roof.
Get creative and get some color in your August Gardens in Woodlands.
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