Surprising Combinations in the Perennial Garden

My front spiral perennial bed hides, and sometimes highlights, more than one edible or useful plant. As I was walking around with my gardener's frown, - you know the kind that quickly turns to delight when you see 'that plant' finally in flower - I noticed some unintented but quite pleasing combinations.

The complementary ruffle of varigated 'Citronella' Geranium and annual 'Torch' Blanket Flower:



The contrasting colours of Delphinium 'Butterfly Blue' with edible Nasturtium 'Peach Melba':



The dark mystery resonating between the deep purple Clematis and the black seeds of anise tasting sugar substitute Sweet Cicely:



And finally, the feeling of a meadow created by wild fleabane (weed), flowering with yellow columbine and the tea substitute Monarda:



Sometimes your best effort is the accidental one.

Season show stoppersGreen Thumb Sunday

Regular chives

If you want a glorious Ottawa garden in late May, these were the stars that stole the show in my neighbourhood gardens:

Nursery Regulars:

Ground Phlox
Lilac
Stonecrop
Tulip
Ajuga
Columbine (non native)
Giant Alliums
Dwarf Iris

Native (what a month for them!)

Bleeding Heart
Solomon's Seal
Foam Flower
Trillium
Columbine (native)
Tall Phlox
Bunch Berry
Violets
Ferns uncurling
Anenome

Vegetables (based on my garden)
-- the greens have it --

Rocket
Mache
Early Leaf Lettuce (the heading is just getting going for me)
Spinach
Broccoli Rabe
Chives
Turnip greens
Beet thinnings
Rhubarb


In the works:

Bearded Iris, who has been waiting impatiently in the wings, is just putting on her costume, so are oriental poppy, jacob's ladder, peony and dianthus (pinks). I even saw a flower on my rugosa.


Giant Alliums



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Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

Dreaming of Summer

Beebalm and Oregano blooming happily together under a July sun. In the middle of winter, midcalf deep in snow (normally it's knee deep but it was unseasonably warm in December), this picture looks to me as if it were from a dream.