Over the Garden Wall
It's been a busy week as I've been hard at work on a special project for you! (More about that later…)
Are you curious to see what's happening in your neighbor's garden? Do you sneak a peek while out walking the dog? Don't blush – we all do it!
Well I know I'm rather off the beaten track so I took a few photos this weekend to show you what's happening.
It was early morning when I ventured out. The sun was just moments from making its appearance; that magical, ephemeral time of day.
Misty layers of flowers and foliage
Most of my garden borders have a "sunset" color scheme of coral, orange, magenta, gold and deepest burgundy. It's a rich color palette that is vibrant in every season. In spring, the rhododendrons and Exbury azaleas (most of which I inherited) have their shining moment. My challenge is to find ways to showcase their fleeting glory – by partnering them with beautiful foliage of course.
Working with pink blooms
Burgundy leaves pair so easily with pink flowers.
A "no name" Rhodie Playing off the burgundy foliage of a new Pixie Japanese maple
Low lying branches flirt with Blackberry Ice heuchera
A golden full moon maple provides a brighter contrast
Golden yellows need bold partners
The deciduous Exbury azaleas are some of my favorite shrubs – I love the fall color as much as the "in your face" spring blooms.
The large golden flowered shrub below was here when we moved in although we relocated it with help from a bobcat! Today it joins company with a golden conifer and large Rose Glow barberry.
Forever Goldie golden arborvitae reinforces the color scheme
The wispy shrub with red flowers in the background is a sterile form of Scotch broom. It is an old Proven Winners variety. Love that it is deer resistant and drought tolerant.
Close up of the flowers on my sterile Scotch broom – so pretty
Foliage Highlights
Foliage is key in my garden and I love the way a Double Play Gold spirea and Mountain Fire andromeda frame these mango colored azaleas, one of the Northern Light series.
New growth on a spirea and andromeda echoes an orange-toned azalea
Mercifully barberries are not invasive in the PNW, because I love them for their deer resistance and wonderful range of colors.
Limoncello barberry and a blue pine
Limoncello barberry can be tough to place in the garden as the color goes beyond bold to almost garish. I've found blue and silver are the best companions and love it with a columnar blue pine in the background.
Lemoncello has crazy attitude!
Red barberries are much easier to work with, however. I have several clusters of the dwarf Golden Ruby barberry and am especially pleased with this pairing with a dark leaf euphorbia.
Golden Ruby barberry and Ruby Glow euphorbia
Those magenta colors seem to be everywhere right now! An elderly gentleman (Jerry Munroe, that some may remember from his Kenmore nursery) gave me these primroses many years ago. When we moved to this house I brought them with me.
Moisture-loving Japanese primroses and Rodger's flower – ideal companions on our stream bank
Love how they play off the oversized Rodgersia foliage!
And deep in the garden….
So what else have I been up to? Well I've been working hard putting together a new online workshop for you; Designing Abundant Containers. This will totally change how you plan, shop and design your containers gardens! It will launch any day now and be offered to my newsletter subscribers. (Not a subscriber? No problem – you can sign up here.)
Here's a behind-the-scenes look from one of the videos. We needed to check that when I moved about I would remain inside the frame of the primary camera. Andy (my husband who was manning all three cameras plus audio) asked to "see what (I ) could do"……
Never take yourself too seriously, right?!
Oh My! Just Beautiful photos! Thank You for sharing!!
So glad you enjoyed them Kathy!