Offending Colours!!

14 comments

Last year, I removed 12 barrow loads of Symphytum (Comfrey) from the wide border opposite our Garden Room. It looked awful and was spreading too. I wanted to make a ‘Hot Border’ as a change from pinks and mauves. I planned it out and planted it up. It was quite pleasing.

This year, I had lost some plants and added others in the gaps. It all seemed to be going well – I had decided that pink Cosmos (grown from seed last year) didn’t ‘go’ with the other colours. I tried what was meant to be red Cosmos, but although they turned out to be orange, and would have been good in this border, they are also SMALL – why didn’t the packet of seeds tell me that? They are lost at the back of the border! And at the front – oh dear! A pink Phlox and a lilac one – I just couldn’t bear looking at the mis-match of colours, so out they came, in flower or not, wrong time of year or not.

Well-watered in, it’s OK so far.

So is the lilac one. It looks a lot better over there. But it left a gap in my ‘hot’ border. Good excuse to visit the Garden Centre and see what I could find!

Agastache, a lovely orange Dahlia, a new Coreopsis which all fit in well. But a gap in the front. Off I went again with a thought – I knew there was a black grassy plant.

And I found it – Ophiopogon planiscapus. Two would fill that space very nicely and pick up the colour of the Dahlia’s leaves.

So there we are – an improved ‘hot border’ and a new view across the lawn from the Garden room. Now it doesn’t offend my colour sense any longer. It was fun, too! A bit of retail therapy while the weather is bad again has done the trick! I’m smiling again.

I think it’s better than last year, but the yellow Heleniums meant to be taller than the red ones are NOT. Well, they’ll just have to wait. A garden is never finished, is it?

30 Jul, 2008
1 like

Comments

Grenville

Nice hot colours Spritz.Have you considered including 'red hot pokers' in orange yellow and red for height and structure as well?

30 Jul, 2008

Spritzhenry

Yes, there are two in there - 'Dorset Sentry', but not happy - I don't think there's enough sun for them. They will also be moved shortly!

30 Jul, 2008

Mikec

The border looks great Spritz. Isn't it so very pleasing when it all comes together quickly like this border has on the second growing season. It can only get better :)

31 Jul, 2008

Andrewr

Now you've read about colour thoery, there's no stopping you is there spritz? :-)

31 Jul, 2008

Spritzhenry

Cheek! Who says I didn't know about it already? Cheek and double cheek, Andrew!!!! ;-)

31 Jul, 2008

Blodyn

Those warm colours look great together Spritzhenry. I often wonder though if you need a large garden to have colour schemes. My garden isn't very big and I'm a bit afraid to have diferent colours in diferent parts of it. Each part would only be small and might not have the desired effect. It must look nice with you because you have more space.

31 Jul, 2008

Connielarayne

Spritzhenry, gorgeous new hot bed. I like your reasoning for heading to the garden store!!

We have a tendency to focus on purple and pink...with an occasional yellow. I like calm colors - but I think we could use a hot color garden spot. Sounds like a reason to expand!

31 Jul, 2008

Grenville

Don't be afraid to use colour themes in any size garden Blodyn. Spritz will support my view as she has visited our tiny plot that measures 20 feet x 18 feet.
Both Spritz and myself with backgrounds in education have worked with Primary aged children for many years and the wonderful thing is that young children are not frightened of using colour. Somehow some adults seem to develop inhibitions about using it when they get older.
I have seen Spritz's garden, and the colour themes are superb, and she certainly knows how to group colours and plants together.
(Sorry if I have embarrasssed you Spritz, but you deserve a huge pat on the back as well for your superb efforts in your garden!)

31 Jul, 2008

Blodyn

Thank you Grenville. When I was a child I remember drawing and painting and planting things in the garden, but then I didn't seem to worry about it. It's true what you say about adults developing inhibitions. I seem to worry about everything now, even colour in the garden. Silly realy isn't it. I ought to experiment more I think.

31 Jul, 2008

David

I used to hate anything "hot" coloured in the garden, | couldn't relax in the garden unless the colours were pale blues and variations on white. Now, with children, I just mixe the colours up and am enjoying colour more than ever. Your "hot" bed is looking fantastic, Spritz.

31 Jul, 2008