Do the dominant colors in your garden change with the seasons? Mine seem to. Even though I have a wide range of foliage and flowering plants in my garden and just about every color of the rainbow can be found in any given month, some colors stand out at particular times. During what passes for winter here, colors are muted and green and silver tones shine. During the height of spring, blues and mellow yellows attract the most attention. But, at the height of summer, when the sun is particularly intense, it's red, orange and gold that draws the eye.
I picked out some plant combinations and individual plants in my garden to illustrate this.
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This bed dominates the north end of the back garden
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Clockwise from the upper left, closeups of the plants in this bed include: Gazania 'Otomi', Leucadendron 'Blush', Lilium 'Orange Planet', and Lobelia laxiflora
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This photo captures both the far end of the bed shown in prior wide shot and the bed on the other side of the flagstone path
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Clockwise from the upper left are closeups of the shedding bark of Arbutus 'Marina', Gazania 'Gold Flame', noID red Gazania, and Pennisetum 'Fireworks'
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I used Aeonium 'Velour' in the north end of the back garden but these photos feature the same plant in other parts of the garden. How red the succulent gets depends on the amount of sun and water it receives.
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This bed occupies the southeast end of the back garden
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View of the same area from another angle
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Clockwise from the upper left, the highlights are: Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun', Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset', and Leonotis leonurus
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And here are photos taken from scattered areas of my garden.
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I have several Abelia grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope'shrubs
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These daylilies are on their way out now but they made a splash all this month. They are Hemerocallis 'Persian Market' and H. 'Sammy Russell'.
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The foliage of Crassula pubescens ssp radicans contributes to the hot color theme
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Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' is looking more spindly than this now. It'll get a haircut as soon as the current heatwave abates.
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Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' has finally recovered from the unrequested shearing it received from the gardeners
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This noID Bacopa is very happy despite the heat
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Helianthus 'Sunbelievable Brown-Eyed Girl' also appreciates all the sunny days we've had this month
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Are any particular colors standing out in your garden at the moment?
All
material © 2012-2023
by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
