RE: design & combining/how about your failures?

Hi Kris,

I'm afraid I have a rather "skewed" concept of garden design that will
probably roll Gertrude Jekyll over in her grave.

Basically, I buy what I like, and I find I'm pretty consistent with certain
colors, styles of plants, etc., and THEN I find a way to put them together.
I couldn't bare to put a plant I don't like in a bed just for design's sake!
But it seems to work for me.

Of course I consider cultural requirements and bloom time, but that will
have to come with experience for most of us, no matter what the books say.  

The only real "rule" I have is to try to combine things that have different
form:  roundish plants with more vertical plants, flat flowered plants like
yarrow with airy plants like blue flax...

Another thing you can do is take pieces of plants you really like and wander
around your garden until you see something you like together.  I do this
routinely with sort of hard to work in colors: certain shades of magenta or
rose or peach, that lean toward red or blue, yellow or pink shades of those
colors.

One tip I saw which I thought was a great idea, but one I'll never get to,
is to photograph your garden in black and white.  Then you are not so much
affected by color is form, and dark and light. 

Has anyone personally tried this?

Bottom line has been experience for me.  I often order things from
catalogues even withoutu a picture, just by description and believe me, this
often requires revision later.  I placed a Helen Johnson verbascum (lovely,
dusky peachy color) near a Voo Doo rose (vivid coral) and it is wretched!!!!


Okay, confession is good for the soul, what do you HATE in your garden this
year and can't wait to change?  That's my #1 pic.

Susan Saxton, zone 6b

For mine is a little old-fashioned garden where the flowers come
together to praise the Lord and teach all who look upon them to do
likewise.
Celia Thaxter

I AM in shape.  ROUND is a shape!


> -----Original Message-----
> From: bayvu@worldnet.att.net [b*@worldnet.att.net]
> Sent: Friday, July 16, 1999 8:28 AM
> To: perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: design & combining
> 
> 
> Dear list,
> This link    RE: Nice combination/YOUR FAVORITE NEW PLANT    
> made me go out in
> the garden and evaluate it, rather critically.   I see some 
> nice things blooming
> but my design doesn't necessarily please me.  I've tried to 
> group things by
> height and culture requirements but it's left me with a 
> blossom here, a patch of
> color there ...
> 
> Could you give me some insight on how to arrange things?  Do 
> you group things
> that bloom at the same time,  do you repeat a given plant to 
> give continuity and
> how often...? Any and all tips would be greatfully accepted.
> 
> I value your accumulated wisdom more than I can thank you for.
> Kris in northern CA
> 
> 
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