Ever been at a party or a meeting and you don’t know anyone but you decide to say “screw it” and just start introducing yourself to people. Well, that’s kind of how this week has been for me in the blogger world. For almost a year I’ve read weekly and monthly posts sponsored by people I’ve never met and felt super awkward about joining in on the fun. But, this is the week that I said “screw it” and here I am again, jumping on the Foliage Follow Up bandwagon hosted by another person I don’t know…Pam at Digging. Thank you for hosting!
I have just a few very favorites today because if I didn’t edit then there would be hundreds- no, seriously, hundreds!
Funny story about the picture below. I was watering a couple of weeks ago during a VERY brief dry spell and I discovered what I thought was bird poop or disease was actually variegation! I bought this a couple of years ago from Cistus Nursery and had forgotten about this feature when the vine matures!
Actinidia pilosula
I need to go scrap metal hunting with Patricia again!
Eventually I will have to do an entire blog on my obsession with variegation. I literally swooned over this jasmine at Xera three years ago and the romance is still going strong! I’m hoping this will be the year it bloom but, honestly, I could care less! Watching the evolution of the leaves from pink to cream and green is enough for me!
Jasminum officinale ‘Argenteovariegatum’
I found this beauty as a replacement for the magnolia I lost over the winter and I couldn’t be happier! Yeah, there are going to be some beautiful flowers, but look at the colors of those leaves! I found this Japanese Snowbell at Farmington Gardens.
Styrax japonica ‘Evening Light’
I can’t decide whether it’s the detail of leaves or the shades of pink I like better on this false spirea.
Sorbaria sorbifolia ‘Sem’
This shrub is a trooper! Winter took it’s toll on all three of mine and they have all three recovered beautifully. This is the only one, however, that have kept it’s variegation after three years. Anyone else experienced this?
Cistus ‘Mickie’
Okay, thanks to those of you who have endured me two days in a row!
Hopefully I’ll be too busy in the garden to get any writing done soon!
mardigrasgardener 
See I had no idea you were a variegation junkie! Now I know. Also I’m going to keep my mouth shut about the fact you replaced a Magnolia with a Styrax (OMG)….
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I know, I know…I should have seen that coming but I had the perfect spot for it and I couldn’t have my heart broken again!
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I went through a variegation junkie period for a time, but eventually took a step back from it. I still have a few, but for a while it became overwhelming. I like that Styrax, I wish I’d known about that variety when I planted mine. They do have beautiful flowers. Unlike Loree, I like this small tree.
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ooooh, variegation junkie..now we know 😉 I’m having fun with how much enjoyment you are getting out of your plants!
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Part of the beauty of garden blogging is interacting with fellow gardeners you’d never meet otherwise. And now we know you’re a variegation junkie. lol. I have Cistus ‘Mickie’, too, and it does like to send out shoots that are all yellow occasionally. I cut those out to maintain the variegation.
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Thanks Evan! I think it may be too late for that…two of the three seem to have completely lost their variegation and they are just a few feet away from each other! They are also significantly smaller, too.
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