When I was rambling in the garden yesterday in rather better weather conditions than today, in between pulling out stray leaves and collecting pebbles brought to the surface by frosts, I stopped to admire this woodrush Luzula sylvatica ‘Marginata’. This was moved from its previous home when I revamped the borders in this part of the garden and just dumped here in a big solid lump. I recall even considering whether to keep it or  not as it must have started out as a small plant in a 4″ pot and certainly not as prominent as it is now – I’m glad I didn’t, as I realised that it has held its own throughout the year, always looking the same and almost pristine, with the dubious benefit of almost woody brown flowers in the summer. I’ve not featured it on a Garden Bloggers Foliage day before (kindly hosted by Christina – follow the link to see other leafy posts throughout the world) so I planned to include it in today’s post.

There had been talk of possible snow in parts of the UK by the weekend, and although south wast England has been hit again by heavy rain we had a windy night bringing a mix of snow and showers which look set to continue through the day. Instead of seeking out fresh new foliage to photograph I kept my time outside to a minimum with the woodrush and some other stalwarts, including these two unnamed pulmonaria in the woodland edge border, bulking up like bodybuilders on protein shakes, their new leaves already setting off the promise of flower buds:

The borders are now full of emerging shoots of allium and species tulip, including Allium ‘Oreophilum’  and Tulipa ‘Lady Jayne’. I discovered the delights of species tulips a few years ago and after the upheaval of the changes in these borders last year I am hoping to establish decent clumps of them again. At present there are many ones and twos popping up all over the place and inevitably also a wide array of assorted allium seedlings. Peter Nyssen includes a good range of allium and tulipa at affordable prices so it is a good way to build up a collection.

Last month I showed off the emerging lime green foliage of  a lost-label plant in my blue-and-white border; I have decided now that it must actually be a geranium and need some hints to remind myself which one, one that will have been described as ‘blue’……. Like the pulmonaria most of the hardy geraniums are busy and dependably pushing up new leaves, although some varieties keep much of their foliage throughout winter and others still remain leafless and dormant, waiting for the sun to be a more regular visitor. Not so the ivy of the last picture – tough, reliable and totally evergreen. It may be a bit over-enthusiastic at times but I wouldn’t be without in the garden in all its forms and shades of green: