Adding some zing, pop & pizzazz to a color scheme?

Hey Cottage Garden fanciers!

Anyone feeling their garden is lacking something at some points in the growing season? Perhaps looking to draw more hummingbirds with some flame red blooms? Or needing to add some impact that can be seen from a distance, some 55mph appeal?

How are you tweaking your plant combinations and/or color groupings this year?

tabasco and I were discussing similar color schemed gardens we have in cool tones of mauves, pinks, purples, blues, with accenting silvery, variegated, or plum foliages, and how to give them some punch! While I'm a fan of those cool, serene hues, I'd like to see some brightness burst out from time to time during the season. I don't really care for bright or golden yellows, or oranges or reds with those tones (but love 'em in other parts of the garden, for sure!), but finding those that do "work" for my eye has been hit and miss. I have found some sweet william, roses, and lilies in crimsons that have enough pink overtones to do the job, and am finding that adding big splashes of white creates a glowing impact. Any suggestions?

Pictures always greatly appreciated! Of what you liked, or what you didn't and would like input on changes.
Thanks!
Neal

This is my shady entry garden, in memory of my friend, Jan. She was a huge fan of purples and blues, and loved fragrant flowers. She also loved silver in jewelry and just as a color, and always had "silvershadows" in her usernames, so I'm using lots of silvery foliages. I was particularly pleased to find a Heuchera called 'Silver Shadows". The 'Little Beauty' tulips in the foreground are one of my attempts to add some zing, and one I'm pleased with. The way the blue in the center of the tulips picked up the blue of the lungwort was effective. However now they're done, and I need something to fill in the gap.

Excellent topic, Neal. I'm on both ends of the spectrum .... or talking out of both sides of my mouth, whichevah.

WARNING: RANT AHEAD

I've noticed a popular trend of putting bright green/yellow leaved varieties of plants with just about anything, just to give "punch" to a planting Then I moved in to a house where it has been planted - yellow-green (chartreuse?) bushes in front of red barberries and electric purple Salvia 'May Night' in front of them. Blek. It has contrast, for sure, but ...? I find after the initial attraction -it certainly catches your eye - it feels really discordant.

On the other hand, I like mixing dark pink with orange (nearly swallowed my tongue when those geraniums came out with rose/ orange petals - BAM should have been that cultivar's name. What a great plant!) And now I have these dark pink Dianthus with the tiny bright blue Lobelia, on top of black mulch. Now there's some contrast, although it's more at 10 mph, being off of my side walk.

So much for my cottagey pale pinks, blues and lilacs & silver (I know it's not everyone's idea of what is cottagey).... which I love. I adore the roses that are apricot with tiniest hint of pink and yellow .... I'm simply a woman torn by desire. The Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde of the gardening world. Finding a place for all of it without jarring the senses is proving difficult.

>deep breath<

Okay. I'm done for the moment.... I'll try to find some pics to illustrate all this ranting!

gemini are those tulips species tulips? I have read that they come back much more reliably than the more commonly sold ones. Don't have any of either kind but am interested.
Regarding the color combinations I am very insecure. I just plant where there is a hole and if it doesn't suit me fix it later. Actually I usually figure it is okay and leave it.HA
Hopefully I will learn a lot on this thread
Veronica

Thanks P-cat! I've noticed what you speak of with the chartreuse foliages; for years I just couldn't make myself like them because they looked like they needed fertilizer. I've since developed a fondness for them, but end up doing a lot of tweaking to make it look right to me. I've found them to be valuable for adding a bright spot in the shade; seems there's just not much that's yellow for the shade (bloom wise, that is).

I've come to love some intentionally discordant combos in my butterfly/hummer garden, most notably the deep magenta-pink with orange. Have you seen pics of Christoper Lloyd's gardens? Lots of intense color combos like that. I see the BF garden from the back deck where I grow all my tropicals, and gaudy just kinda works for me there, lol.

Hot magenta is a tough color for me to incorporate. I've got 'Fire Witch' dianthus and rose campion that can be seen from space! I'd hoped they would give some zing to the areas with mauves and lavenders, but it was kind of like a fog horn in a symphony. Now they seem more at home with yellows, oragnges, reds, and purples where they're free to "scream" as loud as they want.

Oh, and I'd love to see a pic of that geranium! Sounds pretty!

Veronica, yes, those are species tulips. That they tend to return more reliably than hybrids is why I've gotten into them, but now have grown to love them so much, they're my favorites. Many increase through bulb division, and some even self seed! Here's a thread with pics of several of the varieties I grow:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/839524/

..and no need to be insecure about your color combos, its mostly hit or miss for all of us. Especially when dealing with photo shopped catalog pics and plant tags. The best planned plantings almost always need something moved around to make it just right. Hope we can all learn from each others successes and mistakes :-)

I've been out studying my garden, trying to get some new ideas for it...so I'm thrilled that you started this thread, Gem.

I'm heavily into the mauves, purples, violets during May and I fear that old saying, "purple is the beige of the garden", is so true in mine. I'm looking for just the right plant to give it that zip you talk about...

I don't know if the chartreuse foliage plants would help...perhaps so. But I agree about all the weird foliage colors jammed into a garden scheme together. I have a hard enough time with the purpley leaved trees in my yard (some kind of prunus, maybe?)

You speak of magenta, and I have a little bit of difficulty with it too unless it's in a really billowing overflowing butterfly garden with lots of golds, yellows, whites and purples, too. One of my gardening essay books has several chapters on the 'Evils of Magenta' (these are essays written in the '30s) and I think Christopher Lloyd's gardens are a reaction to that thinking. Funny how garden fashions come and go!

Here is a collage of my purplely mauve conundrum! I need a background plant or something to spice it up. Any thoughts?

Well, pretty plants, but a certain dullness pervades....

And these are the white plants I've been able to intersperse here and there. I guess I need more...

tabasco, what is that little white filler flower I'm seeing among the iris? Very pretty with them! Looks like you've got lots of nice splashes of white! Sometimes using the color wheel helps when looking for complimentary tones. Yellow is directly opposite purple on the color wheel, so is considered its complimentary color (along with blue/orange and red/green). However most of your purples are soft tints that I don't think would be accented well with yellows. Hmmmm...an idea comes to my mind inspired by cactuspatch's gorgeous pics we were ga ga over on another thread. Did you notice how her big splashes of color came from plants in similar tones as the house (some brighter, some softer or darker, but all in peachy-pink tones), and the other colors served as accents for contrast? I'm wondering if taking samples of your brick and trim color and looking for blooms in that chroma for some bigger splashes would do the trick? I'm thinking your brick and trim have a mauve tint to them, can you see any peachy or slightly orange tone in them? I keep coming back to the color of that rose cactuspatch was using, and what a nice contrast that would be with your colors- seemed to have enough pink to look good with the brick, but enough orange overtone for really nice contrast. Some pinkish blooms with yellow centers take on that tone from a distance, seems like the eye blends them. My logic here is considering mauve is a blended tint of blue, purple, and red, and looking at what's across the color wheel from those tones.

A thought just came to me on experimenting with these ideas; potting up some planters with considered combinations of colors is a good way to get a real sense of whatever idea you're considering, without investing a lot only to find it doesn't work. You can carry it around the garden and look from different angles.

Here's a shocking contrast of 'Lime Ricky' heuchera and purple pansies. I like the chartreuse with deep purple, but it washes out softer shades.

I love too many things to limit myself. LOL

I have just about every color in my back garden but deep red. Even my hot lips salvia (which is somewhat of a coral red) goes well with all of my stuff.

I just "can't say no" to a new plant that I like. hehe

gem, good thought on looking at the brick and paint trim on the house and tying that in. My house has sort of weird colors--the trim is a mauve (don't ask me why--(the painter got ahead of me on that one and started painting with a color sample before I had made a final decision. I almost killed him!!). And there are many tones in the brick and I'll have to study it some more.

I was looking out the front picture window this morning thinking maybe all it needs is a big focal point like a fountain?!

I am not sure what the tiny white flower is with the iris, but probably a Alyssum maritime. I bought a packet of white alyssum seed for Ten Cents at Walmart because it said it grew to 10 inches high. The stuff in my garden is more like 2 feet high, though. My other alyssums have not begun to flower yet, so I'm not sure exactly what it is... If you have any idea, please let me know. I do like it, even if it is a weed. Very nice with the bearded iris.

I found my color theory book in the basement, so now I'm ready to go on this project/thread!

Jo, I find myself very torn quite often. There's hardly a color flower out there I don't like, and things like roses, iris, and lilies I find myself wanting to collect every variety I can get my hands on. On the other hand, I'm kind of OCD when it comes to color harmony, LOL. So I've sectioned the yard off (in my mind at least), and assigned certain color groupings to particular areas, with each kind of flowing into the other so the changes flow well to the eye. So there's no color I don't use; like you, I can't bear the thought of limiting myself. The good thing about the way I've got it sectioned off is when I get a new plant, I already have a good idea where it will go. And when I've forgotten where I put something, I know where to look for it.

tabasco, a fountain would be really nice! A tranquil mood is set by the color scheme you have, and a water feature would play off that beautifully. How nice to invoke a restful, pleasant feeling to visitors as they enter. Colors as well as the sound of the water and the scents of the flowers sort of envelope the senses- I'd love it! Considering tweaking the color scheme for some zip, I thought about the Fragrant Rose daffs you had there. That cup color was a really effective, subtle, but contrasting addition. That peach/salmon/coral family of colors may be worth consideration. I do love them with purples. To my eye, they don't play well with true pinks though, the pink of Bath's pink Dianthus is the hue I'm referring to.

I've never seen an alyssum get that tall. Sure is lovely! Oh, do try to save seed from whatever it is; I have a feeling it was mislabeled (not that I'm any kind of expert on alyssum, lol), but would love to try growing some!

Not that I'm suggesting you change your trim color (although probably something you've considered since it wasn't your choice to begin with), its probably something that some year down the road will need repainted anyway, so I'm curious what options you've thought of. Would have to look at the brick in detail to see if it would be a good option, but the warm terra cotta tones that have been so popular lately came to my mind. That thread of thought came from thinking on the Fragrant Rose daffs. Good grief!...aint it sad when I think plants should dictate house colors! LOL

pink Horizon iris with yellow coreopsis

The beards on the iris tie them in with the coreopsis, don't they! I love pink and peach iris. Ooohh, and have you seen the pink and yellow bi colors? That would be a pretty addition to the blend. Here coreopsis usually comes into bloom when the iris are finished. Its cool to see the combination options available to folks in different zones!

Fresno Calypso tall bearded iris with emerging dark leafed canna and pink oxalis in background

Hi!

I do not have one single picture I can add to this thread. For some odd reason I don't seem to have any two things blooming in one area of my garden to get in one photo frame!

Tab, What program did you use to get your photos tiled?

Suzy

Interesting analysis, Gem. I am combing my gardening books looking for more insights, but I think you should write the book!

And will ask for a fountain for my birthday. I think that will do the trick.

I am intrigued by my tiny white flower that I call a type of 'Alyssum' too. I put it on the Plant Identification forum and no one could ID it. Most said 'candytuft' or 'gypsophilia' or what's the blue flower that blooms with tulips (can't think of it and it's so common...!). Anyway, not any of those, in my opinion. Will try to get seeds this summer.

About the paint trim, I had a colorist come out and choose the color and she left me with a 2 inch square paper sample and the name of the paint store to go to. The painter took it to the wrong paint store and had them mix it and it really came out 'mauvey'... I tried my best but it was a flop. I should have just gone with my first idea and painted the trim ivory!!

Illoquin, I use Picasa (free download from Google). They have an easy to use 'collage' tool that gives you a few choices of styles. I like it for keeping records of what blooms together and that sort of thing.

http://picasa.google.com/

I have a couple of other photo edit programs on the computer (simple ones, not Photoshop or anything elaborate) and I like Picasa the best.

I got antsy last night and found it so I've been playing with it this morning...I have a .jpg mess on my hands is all I can say.

Here is my first attempt. I am not sure how to spread them out more.

Needless to say, Mauve, Purple and Lavender aren't really part of my color scheme, although I do have a few plants of this and that.

Top Left: Bud of Peony 'Paula Fay'
Top Right: Doronicum
Bottom Left: Deciduous Azalea
Bottom Right: Rose 'Golden Showers'
Middle: Clematis 'Nellie Moser'


This message was edited May 19, 2008 1:44 PM

This message was edited May 19, 2008 6:06 PM

Here are some other colors I have.

Upper Left: Clematis I think 'Justine Bateman'
Upper right: Peony Bud 'Red Grace'
Lower Left: Heuchera 'Pewter Moon' and seed pods of Peony "Molly the Witch"
Lower Right: Heuchera Eco Magnifolia and Ajuga in bloom.



This message was edited May 19, 2008 6:09 PM

See--there ya go! Very cute.

And please tell us about the plants in the picture...? Is that an anemone in the upper left? or another clematis?

I like the coloring on the heuchera (?) too.

I just opened my DG homepage and found this interesting article by Sharran Brown about using Black in the garden.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1025/

Maybe Black would be a good accent for my mauve crazed garden! Will have to think about it today....

Yayyy!! Suzy, spring has finally really sprung up there!

tab, I've looked and looked and can't figure that tall alyssum out! I have found a couple of references to tall alyssum, and there are lots of species of alyssum I'm seeing listed, but without pics. It reseeded on its own from last year, is that right? I'll definitely check out those 10cent seed packs at WM.

jackie, I keep going back and looking at that last pic. I love the canna foliage and oxalis together with the sunny contrast of Fresno Calypso.

Fun article! Last year I added some black hollyhocks to my pink and white garden; I've read recommendations from a few sources to add black to pink and white plantings-very nice contrast. For several years now I've contemplated an all black and white garden- a Yin/Yang garden!

I know, Gem, whatever this white flower is, it's pretty and fun to have because of the early bloom time, but the name is elusive. Here's my research on it so far (Everyone, please skip this post if you aren't deathly interested in finding the ID on the white flower! LOL):

Two springs ago this white flower came up in the garden blooming with the tall bearded iris. I liked it a lot but couldn't recall if I planted this particular seed or if this was some kind of wild flower/weed---that year I went seed crazy and ordered a wide range of packets (valueseeds, Diane's seeds, Select Seeds and some from the racks at the big box stores) whose flowers were new to me. Many I just direct sowed into the garden never thinking they would germinate. (Quite a pessimist.)

Then in the spring these pretty flowers showed up in early May and I really lked it and I went through all my seed lists in my journal (which you are welcome to sleuth through too) to try to ID the seed. With no luck.

I do like Alyssum and I often sprinkle the seeds through my garden and these particular flower heads look like white alyssum but the plant is 2 feet tall now and started blooming in May. The only alyssums I know are very short and some are called 'trailing' though these stand up straight and bloom a bit later. I did find an Alyssum seed called 'maritime' at Walmart for 10 cents and the seed packet said it grew to 10 inches (not 2 feet or more like mine). That is the closest I've come to IDing it. I did put the pic on the Plant ID forum but nobody really got close (in my opinion) to IDing it.

I have googled like crazy on it but no luck. I suspect the seed was a Ferry Morse seed packaged under the Walmart label. I know Ferry Morse is a European/french or Italian owned company and maybe the seed is from a European strain of alyssum not generally available here... Anyway, it should be. I love it and everyone who sees it in the garden wants to know about it.

I will try to harvest some seeds and I am happy to share them with anyone who wants a pretty white flower that blooms with early tall bearded iris and late tulips (mid May).

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!! (-:

Oh, that's a good shot of it (and oooohhhh so gorgeous too)! It looks a lot like a white form of Centranthus ruber I have growing, but I'm wondering if its a bit early for those. My red form was getting crowded out and was moved a few weeks ago, so it may be set back, but the blooms and leaf arrangement sure bring that to mind.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/149757/

I LOVE that last pic! I've opened it a half dozen times already, LOL. I noticed Diane's is one of the 2 vendors listed as a source for Centranthus too. Hmmm...always love a good "mystery" to try and solve!

tobasco that is one pretty weed!! I want some if you get seeds..Lebug gave me some white lace flower but I did not get them out early enough so am saving them for nexrt year. The flowers on lace are larger than on yours,right? Good luck on your continued research.

When I first saw tabascos white flowers, I thought candytuft. And I don't even know what candytuft looks like. lol I know some are white, tho. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/b/Brassicaceae/Iberis/none/cultivar/0/
~Lucy

Lucy, I thought that may be it too, but then noticed the leaves look different. Candytuft looks to have some scallops in the leaves, but tabasco's plant looks to have elliptical leaves. But ultimately I don't care what it is, just want to grow it, LOL.

It's very pretty, whatever it is. : )
~Lucy

I searched through my old seed box on a high shelf in the garage looking for some leads and found an empty seed packet from American Seed 'Plantation Products' in Norton MA. They are labeled "Alyssum" "Maritimum Tall Sweet" . I think I bought these at Walmart or HD and it says 10 Cents on the front of the package. It also says on the package "an old favorite for rock gardens, borders and window boxes" "Growing height 1 foot."

The plant in the garden could be this one, although it certainly is not like any other Sweet Alyssum I have grown before (as a border or in the rock garden). And my plants are waist high now, not one foot tall. But the flower on mine cerainly looks like an alyssum flower. (BTW I know it's not candytuft, I have that, too, in the garden. But thanks.) My mystery flower is much more like an alyssum only tall and much earlier than my other alyssums....

Anyway, if you think this is it and want some, try one of the seed racks at the big box stores. I googled for it and couldn't find an online source. There is a website for Plantation Seeds, though. It sounds like they are a very cheap outfit all the way around. But this flower is a keeper in my garden, and I don't know why it isn't distributed more widely! And I will try to save some seeds to share.

Forgot to post the other pic...

Well we have a few more things blooming now than just the mystery flower--the alliums are in bloom with the iris, and we have some gold colors in bloom now. Last week we didn't have any of the yellows...

Tab, all your flowers are soooo beautiful. I will look around for those taller 'Alyssum', .....you know I just have to have them now. : )
~Lucy

Oh, isn't that Annual gypsophila? The stems are hard & brittle & easily broken.

Illoquin--I don't think it is gypsophila--at least it's not like the other gypsophila in my garden (but that's a perennial)--- and the plant pictured above doesn't have brittle stems. The flower is like an alyssum but the plant is up to three feet tall.

Great thread and photos! Timely too. Our Spring has been a bit late but increased temps next week shoud get things popping. I'm in weeding mode with an eye to *editing* this year. My garden palette is much too pink/purple and last year's attempt to add some darker undertones (Vera Jameson/Black jack sedums; dark seed poppies etc) isn't doing the trick. I've added back some deep blue delphs this year and more of the camelot digitalis plus I'm filling the rose bed with Neal's coop of lilies...we'll see how it works...oh and adding an unusual deep blue spikey clematis and some steel blue thistle this year too

here's an old photo from 06 that shows the monochromatic scheme I'm trying to alter

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/68703493_937c693a86_o.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/61/203379359_789cd7fc0b_o.jpg

here's the July 06 garden collage photo

Oh, how pretty! I see you're using some splashes of crimson very effectively for bright spots. The addition of intense blue is a great idea! I so wish I could grow those royal and cobalt blue tall delphiniums, but they just won't perform well in our heat and humidity. Please follow up with update pics, I'd love to see the lilies with the roses and how the delphiniums progress!

Yes, very interesting to compare your spring garden and summer gardens. Very pretty!

There are so many purple to pink spring perennials available to bloom in April/May that I have become enthralled with that part of the color spectrum...they are easy to 'play with' to but still I need to do some serious editing and get my garden organized to be more coherent.

I am having the tree men come on Wedsnesday to take out 12 trees in the back yard. That will provide a little more sunshine and give me a chance to move some of my perennials that don't 'work' in the front into a new situation into the backyard...

At least I'll be able to move my nursery bed and so on out of the front and that will be a bit improvement!

Jerseyridgearts, I think the deep blues will make a lovely difference. I wonder, too, if maybe some pastel apricot might not add a bit of contrast without killing the feeling of your garden....?

Neal, are Cornflowers too simple for the area you're thinking of? I saw a field of them a few days ago and the effect of them massed was beautiful.

Tabasco, I wish I could have those trees, lol. I have the opposite problem - too much wide open spaces.