Green in the Garden (last of the series)

It seems almost silly to talk about green in the garden. OF COURSE there's green in the garden - most leaves, stems and evergreen needles are green.

But if you look more closely, you'll notice that the green of spring is fresh and lime-coloured. Summer green is mature, deep and lush. Many green leaves turn a completely different colour altogether in fall.

Green makes shady places look cool and fresh. I'm lovin' all the different names too: pea, olive, fern, bean, lime, kiwi, mint and ivy.

Brunnera has small blue flowers in spring but the rest of the summer its variegated leaves are a stand-alone focal point.

Euonymus, Love-in-a-Mist and variegated Hosta show different shades of green as well as different textures.

Hostas and painted ferns

Lots of different shades here beside a calm, reflecting pool.

Silver-y blue/green of the nest spruce sets off the greens of hostas, ferns and shrubs

Green leaves spill over a patterned indigo wrought-iron fence

Such cool variegation!

I have always loved striped Miscanthus grass and have it many spots throughout the garden

Huge swaths of pachysandra surround a dogwood bush.

Look at the texture-mania happening here!

One of my autumn favourites: multi-coloured layered kale beside a big rock, surrounded by periwinkle, lamium and miscanthus.

Please check out my food blog - latest post is Very Crispy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

Purple in the Garden

Columbine (Aquilegia)

Purple in the garden! So formal and dignified, so royal and honourable. 

So many shades to choose from: mauve, lavender, violet, plum and aubergine.

Purple adds depth to light colours and stands out brilliantly if massed. Playful when it's a light tint, powerful when it's deep.

Big pom-pom heads of early spring Allium are a pinky-purple.

Aren't these pinky-mauve rhodos exquisite? Wish they were mine… (taken while on garden tour in Niagara-on-the-Lake)

Incredible picotee Iris - so many shades and colours within a single petal.

Siberian Iris can only be described as blue-ish purple. So dainty on tall skinny stems.

There are so many varieties of lilacs but the shrubs I have are a pinky-purple, very pale in colour. And ohhhhh so very fragrant!

Some gardeners cut hosta flowers off before they bloom but I adore them. I am careful to cut them off when they have expired, though.

Deep purple bellflowers hang heavily on their stems

Many clematis blooms come in deep purple.

Lisianthus comes in many colours, including purple.

Finish the year with lovely autumn crocus!

Please visit my food blog - latest posts are recipes for Spinach and Lemon Risotto with Shrimp as well as Swedish Meatballs with Dill.

White in the Garden

Fragrant Viburnum 'Burkwoodii'

White is symbolic of innocence, perfection, honesty and lightness. It is associated with the Good and The Beginning.

White brings out the true colour of those beside it.

Lots of white has a cooling, calming effect but the opposite is also true: it can cause a glare in hot, sunny climates.

Silver and silvery blue make it shine.

White brightens shady spots and adds a touch of elegance to areas of the garden.

White narcissus appear in early spring.

Cornus kousa or Chinese Dogwood puts on a dainty white display in the spring.

By mid-summer, the Oakleaf Hydrangea is in bloom

Pom-pom flowers adorn the Cranberry Bush (Viburnum Opulus)

Virburnum 'Mariesii' has a more delicate flower and grows on horizontal branches.

White lilies stand out in the garden with their knock-out colour and fragrance

Fragrant white phlox finish out the season.

What are your favourite WHITE flowers and blooms?


Please check out my food blog - the latest post is Crabcakes with ginger and lime.

Pink in the Garden

Sweet Pea

Pink is a very popular colour to use in the garden: some like soft shell pinks, others like bold fuchsias and magentas but almost everyone incorporates some pink into their flower beds.

Pink flowers and blooms are very easy to find. In fact, it's so abundant some may consider it common but most just love it.

Back in the 90's when I did garden design as a hobby business, clients, who had brown/camel brick homes would still cry and whine for me to incorporate pink into the design even their homes would have more complimented by yellow, red and orange shades. The pink would (so) clash but they insisted!

Here are some lovely plants that bloom PINK:

Deep pink Hyacinths will appear in my garden in April.

The magnolia tree flowers bloom with a deeper pink throat and then open to pale pink

A bold spiky fuchsia tulip will appear in May

The crabapple tree in the front yard provides gorgeous cherry pink blossoms and a gorgeous fragrance

What could be more lovely than a hedge of stunningly beautiful pink rhododendrons!

Dark pink peonies surround my deck in June

A deep pink climbing rose

Weigela is such a dark pink, it's almost red

My newly purchased Astilbe chinensis bloomed a deep pink inside with pale pink edging. It looked great near the Sweet William , which is many shades of pink.

Cheddar pinks really add a sharp pop of colour!

Please check my food blog - my latest post is a recipe for Cheese Fondue.

And now, a word from our sponsors…..

There will be 6 more weeks of winter.

DEAL WITH IT.

For solace and warmth, please check my food blog - the latest post is Sweet Potato Soup.