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| I was hoping to get some color ideas for this bed in front of my house. I'm finally getting around to expanding the bed and figured I might as well try and show a little discipline when filling the new ground with plants.
I think the grays and blues that were planted here looked good with a few yellow spots scattered.... maybe it harmonized with the gray roof? But then I got it in my head that a red, orange, gold scheme would look a little more exciting and maybe work off the brick.
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| Here's another view. Sorry they are both on the dark side, but this one shows a little more of the red plantings. Last year I had more chartreuse coleus and red cannas. It was bold, but not the right colors for the spot, so I tried toning down. I was thinking something in the terra cotta range and softer yellows even? On a non color note I'm planning to bulk up some of the plantings to give them a bit more mass for in front of the house, but it's so hard giving up four or five different plants in exchange for one larger mass... It's your typical compulsive collector problem, wanting it all but also wanting it to actually look good. Thanks for reading |
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| When I look at your photos, I note the lighter colors stand out while the darker colors recede, some even making a black hole effect. (It could be the quality of the photo.) At first glance, the garden could benefit from some repetition. With everything different, the eye finds nowhere to rest. Perhaps repeat the yellow spiky thing near the porch a couple more times in front of some of the evergreens. |
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- Posted by louisianagal z7bMS (My Page) on Mon, Oct 8, 12 at 18:28
| I definitely like the reds and yellows there. And while I love that bright blue, it doesn't seem to fit in. So I think the warm reds, oranges, yellows. |
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| I think you hit on one of the main problems.... I really like the blue pots but they blend with nothing. Collector syndrome again. I do have a pair of gray ones that I'll put back there next summer, so that's a good idea to start with. The blue probably never stood out much for me, between the other competing colors and all the kids toys strewn about. So the pots go. The photo quality does make things look darker than they are, but I see what you mean about the lighter colors standing out.... Do you think more gray will look good with the yellow spike? (variegated yucca, love it btw). I might divide the blue fescue and make larger patches, that's what several of the small light spots are. How about the bright yellow taller (still spindly) shrub to the left? It's a tiger eyes sumac and I was planning to let it take over the left corner. Is it too much brightness? Also I was going to let it get worse with some gold rudbeckia.... I'm getting excited again about the red-orange-yellow colors!. How about if I do more repetition of the yellow? Maybe that can let me still have the variety I need but make it look a little more cohesive. I'm going to see if I can find some better pictures from last year or get a little sun tomorrow for brighter photos. Thanks for the suggestions, I'm glad my red yellow mix hasn't been poo-pooed yet. |
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- Posted by louisianagal z7bMS (My Page) on Tue, Oct 9, 12 at 23:09
| yes all that sounds great. I think the grays would work coz they are sorta neutral. I like all your ?conifers/evergreens in there too. Have you ever visited The Renegade Gardener? I like his stuff. Just do a search and especially his mixed borders. Mostly foliage and texture. |
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- Posted by dianne0712 7 (My Page) on Wed, Oct 10, 12 at 18:22
| LOL! Oh, you sound like me! When we moved here it was all planted with pink flowers. Not good with the orange brick! Then, since I was so new to gardening, I had too much of a hodgepodge. So even though I haven't finished yet, I'll tell you what's working for me. Scarlet carpet roses, diablo ninebark which is wicked against the house, grey folige artemesias with yellow in front of them but most of all BLUE.I have victoria blue salvia and lobelia and they really pop against the house and make all the other plants exciting, but the key is to plant big clumps of blue throughout the yard instead of only one spot. Orange and blue are complimentary colours so it's very vibrant, but in such a happy way. |
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| I've been wasting a bunch of time on the regade gardener site, thanks! Haven't yet got to the perennial border posts since the 'dont do that' posts are too entertaining! Didn't take pictures today (first day of sun) since I got caught up with lawn mowing and cleaning up at the MIL's house.... but I'm interested in the diablo ninebark suggestion. I never even considered purple foliage even though I've been using the grays and blues and really liked some red cabbage that I put there this summer. Hmmmm. I have to see if I can fit one in somewhere. There are a couple coppertina seedlings with nice color in the backyard, maybe I'll put one in to see if the purple grows on me. So it sounds like I just need to bulk up a few patches and add some more blue and gray. That way I can keep the orange highlights and it should improve things alot. One of these weekends I hope to get the bed widened and move a couple thngs. I'll let you know how it goes, thanks for the ideas!
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- Posted by louisianagal z7bMS (My Page) on Thu, Oct 11, 12 at 21:22
| Yeah my gardens are ALWAYS works in progress, I never have them truly completed! There's another shrub/small tree called smokebush (maybe the real name is cotina or cotinia??) and it has purple foliage and pinkish feathery "flowers." Not sure what zone it's for but it grows here in 7b. |
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| I found a picture from last year..... there was more repetition and larger blocks of color, but maybe it was a little too much. Who would have thought fire engine red salvias would have been too much red? I guess that's the big plus when growing annuals in the north, winter comes and gives you a second chance. |
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| but annuals don't handle a rough summer well. This year the coleus and other annuals (not salvias) didn't do well, so the one mum took over.... I think it's a decent color for the spot and I should keep it. Also normally I think mums are too dull most of the year, but in this case the mum foliage is kind of grayish and I guess that's a plus here too. Any thoughts? hmmmm. says my file is too big and won't do the picture. |
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| ok back to photobucket
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