Friday, August 10, 2012

My New Euphorbia Love

Day 185
The Daily DuBrule

I have fallen in love with an annual Euphorbia. A couple of years ago I was traveling in Vermont when I happened upon this very unusual plant. It was late August, the dog days, and any annuals left on a garden center's benches are usually showing fatigue. Not this bright and cheerful foliage plant! It looked perfect and it was still in a 4" pot from the spring. I took note of the grower and filed it away in my mind.

2012 rolls around and I am toying with the idea of finally breaking down and buying from this grower, despite the $2500 wholesale minimum order. What the heck, be daring. So I did. Turns out it was a great move. The unusual annuals I was able to use in my client's gardens have added that much needed magic I was looking for. Especially Euphorbia heterophylla 'Variegata'.

This is really a foliage plant. I have used it in full, hot blazing sun and dappled shade. The leaves have a unique triangluar shape and it grows about 18-24" tall. In one of my most succesful pairings I have planted on either side of a drop-dead gorgeous Brugmansia 'Yellow Ruffles'. The creamy yellow flowers are the perfect foil for the variegated leaves.

Bring to the party a bright pink single rose and voila! It's a summer carnival by the sea. 

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