I do love my combinations... but what's "winning" about these is that I can use them for both Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-up! Since I'm late on both counts, these front yard garden pics are definitely a win in my book.
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| Clearly, I am incapable of taking a straight picture in my front yard. Oops. |
Below, the view from the sidewalk:
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| Oakleaf hydrangea blooms dominate here, but you can also see the first few amsonia blooms in the shade at left. I ADORE the bright spiky yucca leaves... the flowers will be a bonus. |
A close-up of the penstemon, and the fat hens-and-chicks at its feet:
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| Okay, you got me. I just wanted to show that stipa/nassella tenuissima again. (The beauty and gras of that grass just floors me.) |
Another poorly disguised shot of the stipa--but, really I was trying to show the bright-hot green in the light blue sea kale leaves. These photos look a little burned out, but the colors really do look this bright in real life, so I didn't bother to correct them at all:
Shaded from the light, the burgundy eucomis leaves, peachy-wine heuchera leaves and brown carex buchanii add a calming, anchoring effect:
And that's all I've got for now. For more flowers, visit Carol's June 2013 Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day post. For more fantastic foliage, check out Pam's Potted Plants and Stripey Foliage post--and click through the comment links.
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What else is blooming in the garden right now:
'Vodka' wax begonias, golden creeping jenny, salvia lyrata, 'Caradonna' salvia, verbena bonariensis, lonicera sempervirens, 'Zweiweltenkind' goatsbeard, mom's passalong pink lamium, 'Purple Dragon' lamium, red snapdragons
7 comments:
Your garden is a study in textural sensations. I just lovve the way grasses add that come hither look to your garden. beautiful blooms too. Happy day...
Stipa looks esp nice with the kale! Beautiful color combos, and Study in Contrasts is such a great garden blog title. And Coco looks like she takes her green bean tasting job seriously.
A gorgeous view to see when you get in and out of your car! I love Mexican feather grass too. And my oakleaf hydrangea is going to flower this year for the first time, which has me very excited. I've never grown sea kale, but I sure like the look of it. I'll have to give it a try.
LUSCIOUS last picture, Kim. So gorgeous -- you really have a knack for combining plants.
For the shrub border this bold selection is very handsome. It has deeply lobed, oak-like leaves and a profusion of large white blooms. An added bonus, foliage turns brilliant crimson in fall. Deciduous.
I somehow missed your amazing BD post. The crambe looks fantastic with the feather grass. Unfortunately that grass is getting a bad rep in SoCal for invasiveness and I got rid of all mine finally. I'll love it from afar in your garden.
Greenbow Lisa, you're right--they are kind of come-hither! I should post a video so you can see the way they sway in the breeze. I just love it!
Amy Farrier, thank you, thank you, thank you! (And yes, Coco does take her green bean tasting seriously. Tomatoes, too! lol.)
Alison, YAY for your oakleaf hydrangea! You'll love those blooms--they're even pretty as they fade. I never clip mine off, in fact, and you'll still see the skeletons all winter long in my garden. If you like that look, leave them be. :-)
Thanks, Pam! I like what I put together... sometimes I think I should give things a little space, though. I just blame it on being in a crowded city block--that aesthetic translates to the garden. ;-) (That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!)
Exactly right, Sophia--the oakleaf hydrangea is gorgeous year round, though. I was just telling Alison above how cool the spent flowers can look all winter long, too!
Aw, thanks for the compliments, Denise! Funny that you mention the feather grass and invasiveness... this year, I found my first volunteer. Since I started it from winter sown seed, I was kind of hoping to get volunteers along the way--but no, nothing. I guess I'm lucky that we're no warmer than zone 6 here and it's not too enthusiastic!
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