For many people, using color is one of the most enjoyable parts of gardening. But getting it right can be difficult. It's fun to do and frustrating if you don't.
Success doesn't come from picking different colored plants that you like. Plants must bloom at the same time to complement each other. Also, the size and shape of the flowers and their contrast with the surrounding plants is just as important as the color. Add plant height, leaf shape and texture to this complex equation, and the whole process can become overwhelming.
However, there are some simple guidelines you can use to create coordinated flower arrangements.
Start with simple conceptsThink of landscape design as simple overlapping concepts like repetition and contrast. For example, you can repeat the same plants throughout the bed, all the way to the end.
Or maybe you want to add plants that change in color or height. Tall plants often have bare "legs" that smaller species must cover.
Look for complementary and contrasting colors and types of colors. Choose at least a few long-blooming plants and some that bloom in the fall. Plant them when they are ripe so that you can touch the leaves.
Space plants about 10 inches apart for annual plantings. Use some organic matter like compost and feathers for lush, healthy plants. Use brushes to control weeds and save water.
Visit the gardens for good ideas.Most gardeners use examples to help them come up with ideas, although color preferences are very personal and there is no right or wrong.
A few years ago I attended a lecture by two great English gardeners (now deceased), Christopher Lloyd and Rosemary Ferry of the Great Dexter Garden, both in England. Rosemary showed us around a beautiful part of her garden and encouraged us to stick to pastels and not mix yellow and pink. Similarly, Christopher's beautiful garden slides featured yellow and pink flowers happily intertwined.
In May, I planted a small bed of annuals (2 feet by 25 feet) on one side of the industrial brewery parking lot. I choose plants that have a long blooming season, require minimal maintenance, vary in size and color, bloom in the heat of summer, and are pollinator friendly.
First, I added lots of compost and some organic matter to the very poor soil. I set up a drip system using two rows of exhaust pipes spaced 1 foot apart and connected to a battery operated timer. After planting, I cover with compost to prevent weeds from growing, prevent water evaporation and increase soil fertility throughout the season.
At the back of the bed are four small planters growing on a rope trellis. The bed is planted with two rows of plants. In the last row of the bed, I alternated large plants such as wild sunflower Helianthus debilis 'Pan' (from the Southeast) and silver sunflower Helianthus argophyllus 'gold and silver' (from Texas). I also added some kisses above my garden gate (Polygonum orientale). All varieties available from Select Seeds.
In the first row, I featured 'Benary's Giant Coral' zinnia and orange cosmos (Cosmos Sulfereus). All plants were spaced 10 inches apart, which is much closer than recommended. Although the bed was quite narrow, there was enough room for the plants to grow and spread. I wanted the bed to break out of its narrow frame with visual interest and color.
Now, at the end of summer, the bed is a colorful wall 6 meters from the ground. Unlike the typical sunflower, the types I used are very branched from the base, bushy varieties with much smaller leaves. Each of them is decorated with many small flowers, which do not look like a single sunflower at all.
Helianthus debilis 'Pan' has green foliage, and silver sunflower has crisp white foliage with fine hairs. Both are crowned with dark and light yellow flowers.
Kiss-me-over-the-gate is about 6 feet tall with bright green leaves and pink flowers on curved stems. They are close to full bloom and should be 2-3 feet tall with large arching stems. It will look great in the fall and will increase in size as the other plants grow and fall.
In the foreground, zinnia coral and burnt orange cosmos form a rich color saturation. The contrasts of large and small flowers, juicy and rich colors and light tones make the composition attractive and lively. I mentioned that the single-story metal-walled brewery building is painted light blue.
It was uncertain whether pollinators would find flowers in this dry artificial space on Earth. But I have found that many species of solitary (non-defensive) house bees visit flowers that provide a constant rich supply of pollen and nectar.
Sunflowers are among the best flowers for bees. Very easy to grow and very drought tolerant, these highly branched plants bloom in months rather than weeks. After the flowers ripen, the goldfinch eats the seeds, sings its songs and is seen and heard.
Kate Fry's column appears biweekly in Sonoma Home. Contact Kate at katebfrey@gmail.com, freygardens.com, Twitter @katebfrey.
