Wednesday Vignette

This week I'm joining in for Wednesday Vignette, hosted by Anna at Flutter & Hum, with a picture I had intended to include in a post yesterday. Obviously, that post hasn't been written yet, so I'm re-purposing the photo for my vignette. I've been looking at plant combinations in my garden lately, mostly the good ones, though there are some partners that aren't working well together. More on that when I actually get that post written. For now, here's a view of the bed on the south end of the house. Things have really filled in since I started planting this bed a couple years ago. The Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia in the foreground has become a respectable patch. The grey-leaved Arctostaphylos silvicola 'Ghostly' behind it has grown to the point where I think I can start limbing it up to expose the wonderful bark. Sword-like shapes are repeated by the light green of Iris x norrisii (formerly xPardancanda norrisii) and by the dark green of Yucca filamentosa. Just visible between the lobelia and the iris is the eucalyptus-like foliage of Parahebe perfoliata. And in the back, in an otherworldly blaze, shines Cistus 'Mickie'. I think this is one of the bolder plant palettes in my garden, thanks in large part to the brazen Mickie and the coarse texture of the iris and yucca. It's a play of contrasting and complementary textures and colors, where foliage dominates and flowers provide a relatively modest exclamation. That design philosophy is one I intend to stick to throughout the garden, to the best of my abilities. We all know that a plant addict frequently falls off the wagon, usually anytime that wagon passes a nursery.


And that's my hurriedly and clumsily-written Wednesday Vignette post. Silly me, I had my nose stuck in a book and almost forgot to write this post, too!

Comments

  1. Oh Evan, reading a book is never silly. Lots of great stuff going on in your vignette! I especially love the red flowers set against the gray foliage of the Arcto and the upright, dark green of the Yucca - very nice!

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    1. It is a little silly when you crack open the book as soon as you get home and forget about everything else. lol. Thanks, Anna!

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  2. "We all know that a plant addict frequently falls off the wagon, usually anytime that wagon passes a nursery"...well said! And that's a lovely vignette, nice work!

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    1. Thanks, Loree! I did actually manage some self-control this week, though.

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  3. Love your choice of plants, foliage, foliage, foliage!
    That's my mantra, too. I love flowers but the overall scene has to include great leaves.
    You have such a wonderful variety of foliage!
    Right now we're enjoying the lungwort-pulmonaria, planted in dry shade. it's spreading and is just right under a maple. Love your posts for inspiration.

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    1. Thanks, Christine! I have yet to grow Pulmonaria in my garden. There are a couple I want to try, but I never see them in local nurseries, of course!

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  4. You have some very nice contrasts going on here. I have two Arctostaphylos that are getting some good size on them too, that I should start limbing up soon to show off the bark. They're such great shrubs.

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    1. It's exciting when they get big enough to show off their bark, isn't it?

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  5. Nothing beats a good mix of textures and you definitely nailed it here.

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  6. Other plant addicts are also great enablers. I'm now going to be on the look-out for that Cistus...

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    1. Aren't we? I'd be amazed if you can't at least find something similar in your area.

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  7. Complementing and contrasting shapes and colors: that is what its all about. Flowers, to my mind, are fleeting beauty, while the foliage has a much longer staying power. Sometimes, the best combinations are happy accidents, or a "borrowed" idea from another garden. As I get more experienced I'm more willing to rip something out that doesn't work and make a change. This is a good looking bed you've got here: is it just as you pictured it in your mind?

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    1. I love my happy accidents. There are a lot of them in my garden. I'd love to claim I had this bed all planned out, but it's really been a spontaneous evolution, mostly with whatever plants I had on hand.

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