Happy Friday, GPODers!
It’s safe to say that every gardener has a particular penchant for color. Whether it’s a riot of color combinations (flowers and foliage in every hue and shade) or a monochromatic moment (a lush forest of greens from crawlers to canopy), we all have a color palette that we feel at home in.
While pinks and purples might not be everyone’s cup of tea, Ainsley Mumford Jones in Asheville, North Carolina, has executed this color palette perfectly.
As contrasting colors, purple and green are a classic combination. Using these cooler tones, Ainsley has created a sense of calm in this full-sun bed with varied foliage textures backdropping a pop of purple woodland sage (Salvia nemorosa, Zones 4–8).
City gardens aren’t usually the most expansive spaces, but Ainsley manages to draw her visitors in with shady paths and seating areas surrounded by flowers. Here, light purple phlox and bright pink dianthus (perhaps Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Firewitch’, Zones 3–9) lead you down stone steps to the cozy garden beyond.
Yet another purple plant that looks great in so many gardens—Rozanne geranium (Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Zones 4–8)—is also paired perfectly with various shades of green foliage.
Invoking the colors of a breathtaking sunset, Ainsley pairs a lighter pink dianthus (perhaps Dianthus ‘Bath’s Pink’, Zones 3–8) and purple catmint (Nepeta spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) with the swirling orange in the stone tiles that form their small patio. It’s easy to pair up plant colors when browsing the nursery or garden center, but don’t forget to take the surrounding hardscaping into consideration too.
Has Ainsley convinced you to add some pops of purple to your garden? You can see all the amazing things she does with color in her garden (and in her amazing watercolor paintings) by checking out her Instagram: @aamumford
And I would love to see and hear why you feature a particular color in your garden. Drop a comment below, or send photos of your garden color combos to [email protected].
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
