blue and red crayons

Nancy Lowe wrote:
> I'm always amused at the topic of flower colors.  I'm not certain if the
> differences are due to climate, breeding, or perception!  I have a whole bed
> of purple flowers that were intended to be red and blue, from magenta to
> violet.  Someone made the observation awhile back that Crayola crayons were
> "true" colors.  I'd like to suggest that we each go out and buy a big box
> (64?) and then use them to describe the colors of what we are growing.  And
> I have a bed of "pink" daylilies, lilies and roses;  the roses and lilies
> are pink, but the daylilies are all a little too peach.  I may never get
> these beds where I want them to be!

I agree with you about never quite getting the beds one wants.  I have a
garden under my bedroom windows designated as my *HOT* garden.  Only
yellow, orange or true, non violet, red need apply (it's slightly shady
and I wanted it to jump out of that shade).  I will accept most shades
of orange (I'm one of those who LOVES orange), and most bold shades of
yellow (Moonbeam coreopsis is about as light as I'll go - zagreb
coreopsis is more my liking).  

Red has been the downfall though!  Other than few dianthus, both bold
crimson and blood red, nothing comes true enough red for me! (I'm
sitting here with my son's bazillion count crayons and the red crayon is
exactly what I like!)  I like some of the brick reds of the day lilies
(have added those), the red nasturtiums are always right on, and the red
Monarda (not the mahogany) is splendid, but I'm having a problem finding
(and more exactly KEEPING) TRUE red perennials.  Gerbera daisies are not
hardy here - and they do not thrive in my garden either.  I purchased
red valerian and am now watching it open PINK (crayola purple pizzazz,
actually)- argh - it gets relegated to another garden in September.  

I actually have a list from last summer that I put together on red
perennials, and I'm slowing crossing them off as too violet, too pink,
etc . . . . . The ONE red surprise in my garden this year was a lychnis
advertised as *Vesuvius - molten lava orange* - it bloomed true red!  It
gets to stay - if it'll survive!

Oh well, any advice will be appreciated (and btw, my flax is crayola
*sky blue*)

Pat
pattm@execpc.com
Zone 5 - SE Wisconsin (Milkweed is surrounded by butterflies and the
gold finches are using the Liatris as a perch)

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