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Tuesday 7 July 2015

Black, White and In Between

When I first started serious gardening .. I gave up the idea of annuals except in pots ..
I mean it was just unthinkable to me to mix the two types in a perennial border ... but there I go.
I like to experiment .. I almost feel like a scientist .. amateur mind you, but all the same I think all gardeners are, yes gardeners  slash "scientists" in their own right.
So this black sweet potato vine "Ipomoea" has found it's way for great contrast in this bed.

Romantika clematis is a new one this year .. I took this picture yesterday but today it is even darker.
That is rather the reverse of what happens with colour in plants as they age.
I have paired it with Ilse Krohn Superior for a stark combination of light and dark.
It will take a while for them to "meet" each other but I am so curious to see it happen !
White is dotted throughout the garden borders .. as an exclamation point almost or a rest stop for the eyes perhaps ? I haven't decided yet but I like white !

Henryi clematis is one of my older ones that has been transplanted so many times it is a wonder he hasn't just quit on me ... why do we keep moving plants around ? because we can ?


Another odd one out (speaking in terms of annuals) is a new one I haven't seen before but at 75% off I did not question it too much .. it is called "Red Threads" alternanthera .. quite a mouth full ?
I like how it plays up the red stem in my Japanese Painted fern .. made for each other this season.

  Pink is still my go to colour and the roses are setting that off sweetly !

The hellebores are long done but even their faded colours are beautiful to me.

Back to colours with punch ...
Blackberry Ice heuchera setting off Little Miss Sunshine hosta and Pinot Gris heuchera.

OOPS ! some one snuck a coleus in .... plus a little ceramic mushroom with that touch of blue.

I would be remiss if I didn't squeeze in some butterfly weed, lavender and Golden marjoram.

Finally just for fun ... look into the mirror and see if you can spot something blue there too !

8 comments:

Nadezda said...

Hello Joy!
I love white flowers as well and especially in time of 'white nights' when white flowers are seen very bright. Your white clematis is stunning, is it 'madam Bateman' variety?

NanaDiana said...

It is all just gorgeous!!!! I really love that black sweet potato vine, too. This is the first year I remember seeing it here.
Your gardens are spectacular and I wish I could see them in person. xo Diana

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

Ohhhh very nice combinations! Love your photo of the faded hellebores. I love their faded grandeur too. :)

outlawgardener said...

Annuals are great for filling in gaps and adding fun color contrasts! When your white rose and dark purple clematis meet it will be gorgeous!

Existe Sempre Um Lugar said...

Boa tarde, adorei conhecer as suas belas publicações da maravilhosas flores bem tratadas com carinho.
AG

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Nadezda girl and YES ! white that is seen by a clear night(hopefully a big full moon!) is beautiful : ) .. this is Henryi cleamtis .. Huldine is another beautiful white one .. and one day I will get Miss Bateman too !

Diana girl I don't know how you keep so busy .. you run circles around me! haha
Thank you so much about my garden ... it is my little Eden : )

Ms S Double hellebore have beautiful faded flowers .. I am thinking of moving out my single flowered ones and moving on to doubles ... there is something so graceful about them : )

Dear Peter ... I never thought I would really do that sort of thing but YES! sneaking in annuals is fun .... and another YES! ... I so want to see the beautiful combination of light and dark meet too !

Hello AG .. thank you so much for the compliments and for stopping by .. I appreciate it !
You have beautiful photos of the sea/beach/cliffs of Portugal : )

RobinL said...

I do like how a white flower looks, but they frustrate me, because they don't photograph well in my sunny garden. I can never seem to get their lighting right. I used to have a few "black" plants too, but I quickly gave up on them because they seemed to disappear from view, and simply became black holes. Instead, I've got pretty much every other color in the rainbow. So shoot me, I'm colorful!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Robin ... I find that happens with red flowers like my rose .. it is just too bright.
I am colourful too but black just sometimes is the perfect foil so I am a fan of it as well!