Gardens offer surprises. Plant a Nicotiana alata 'Lime Green' from Annie's annuals in the shade where you think it will star, and ups pops a feverfew. They mingle together in a glorious, unexpected way.
Texture is valuable year-round in any garden. Lamb's ear offer fuzzy leaves. Nearby, I had forgotten my dormant Lemon Balm and they combined in an unplanned but lovely fashion. The puckered, fragrant, green, leaves of the balm, perfectly offset the soft grey velvety Lamb's ear.
The best color combinations often come about in an unforeseen way. My nasturtiums clamored up into an ivy geranium. I would never purposefully plant orange and pink side-by-side. However, they look smashing. I can't brag, because this was pure serendipity.
A friend of mine has a garden bursting with contrasting colors, it always inspires! The wisteria vine dangles close to clivia every spring.
Whenever you see a great color combination, remember the plants used and the colors that caught your eye. This appealing combination above is reminiscent of the prior photo featuring nasturtium and ivy geranium.
A challanging hillside gets colored with blue Pride Of Maderia (Echium candicans) and yellow Lady Banksia, a classic climbing rose.
In the shade, blue spiderwort and pink begonia provide interest - both in contrasting texture and colors.“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures,” said Henry Ward Beecher. Use your garden as your canvas!
