Sunday 15 June 2014

a riot of colour and a bit of cheating …

 

Anyone who has been following me for any length of time knows that I love a lot of colour in the garden – sometimes I long for a green and tranquil space with just a few well-chosen white flowers maybe or pale lemon and blue – but then I can’t seem to curb my natural instinct for the bright and gaudy.  It seems that colour-clashing means nothing to me – if I see a plant I like I plant it  regardless of whether it ‘goes’ or not.  As you may gather, mine is not a sophisticated garden – a bit like me really.

Although everything is not quite in bloom yet if I show you some pictures you will get the general idea.

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See what I mean – hardly subtle is it – I like to think of it as glorious abundance – or maybe, breaking the rules, or daring to be different.

I do like hot colours – something which is apparent as I look at the pictures – I hadn’t realised I had such a penchant for magenta / fuschia colours – but this isn’t surprising really as these colours feature a lot in my wardrobe too.

I mean, for heavens sake, who puts carmine and bright yellow together, or bright orange and pale pink – it seems I do.

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So, the motto is, never come to me for advice on colour combinations – or your garden could end up looking a bit riotous – like mine.

Now for the cheaty bit – I don’t know whether I have told you about this before – but I think it is a really good tip that I have been practising  myself for a number of years.  If you have a flower border that is looking a bit dull, and needs a good hit of colour – well, the answer is CHEAT.  Yes I know this goes against the grain for most of us – but this is good cheating.  Have a number of plants in black pots waiting for a space to come along then plunge them into the border and you have instant colour.  The black pots are camouflaged by the leaves of the surrounding plants and it really brightens up a dull border, see for yourself.

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This was my aquilegia border, after the plants had gone over – dull, dull, dull.  So I plunged in two fuschia coloured pelargoniums, a pink dahlia and a white pelargonium – ok you can see the lily pot because that’s terracotta, and it wants a bit of fine tuning, but doesn’t it make a difference.  So feel free to cheat – you have my permission!

‘Til next time – happy cheating!

64 comments:

  1. I think you garden should make you happy ant not conform to what some dictate as good taste. Your flowers are lovely.

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    1. Thanks Sue. When I do try to be more sensible with colour combinations it never seems to work out right somehow.

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  2. There is nothing wrong with cheating and your garden looks fantastic! I have pink and orange together up on the bank this year, it's given me the nudge to do more of it too.

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    1. I love zingy colours together my favourite combination is orange, bright pink and purple - fabulous.

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  3. Iove your colors with no restrictions! And by all means, let's cheat

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    1. Thanks for visiting best - I like the idea of no colour restrictions it means I can put my favourite flowers together regardless of the result - although sunglasses may be necessary to look at the borders.

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  4. I really likeeeee your garden, it's plenty of colour and life, it's just me , beautiful !!!!! besos. Lilián.-

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    1. Nice of you to say so Lilian - thank you.

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  5. Elaine I love it, a complete riot of colour, something I aspire to. Do you open your garden to the public because if you did I think you would get a lot of visitors?

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    1. No Anne I have never opened the garden - I regard it as my private space and don't think I would like strangers wandering round.

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    1. I know - my favourite colour and it shows.

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  7. Pelargoniums are always up for cheering brightness -- you've made good use of them for borders that have gone quiet.

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    1. I always have plenty of spare plants just in case they are needed.

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  8. A riot of colour just how I like it too

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    1. That's what gardens are for in my opinion - glad you agree.

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  9. Lovely garden - must say I often pop some potted plants in when needed.

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  10. It had been my intention to have a blue and yellow garden, but it was far too restrictive - there were so many plants and flowers that I could not resists, so I have ended up with all the colours of the rainbow.
    Your borders look jolly and fun. I don't object to colours that don't go together, in the flower world, for me, anything goes.

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    1. I am a little more restrained in spring when there are plenty of yellows and blues and white - a combination I love - but in summer I seem to go a little mad.

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  11. Dear Elaine,
    I am taken with your most beautiful garden. I love it.
    Its my kind of garden that I dream about. You can see that you work at it and love what you do. The choice of color is amazing.. love all those rich yellows, pinks, magenta ,red amongst the green.
    Your terra cotta bird bath looks so cute there.
    Unfortunately.. many flowers cannot take the heavy heat that we have during these summer months.
    Happy gardening.
    great post
    val x x x x

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    1. Thanks for visiting Val nice to hear from you and glad that you like my mad garden - the colour scheme I suppose is not to everyone's liking - but it suits me.

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  12. Your garden is gorgeous Elaine. I love the colour mixes they are what nature intended. I have been known to cheat like this too, no harm in adding instant colour. Patricia x

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    1. Thanks Patricia - you are right of course, in nature anything goes. Glad I'm not the only one who cheats a little.

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  13. Hello Elaine,

    Your garden does look abundantly floriferous and exceedingly jolly. It is so important to have fun in the garden rather than be overly concerned about rules and colour combinations.

    Whatever, it is quite clear that you work hard in your garden to keep everything in shape, looking well cared for and happy. That makes it a joy for others to see and enjoy spending time in.

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    1. Thank you for your kind comments.What could be better than a jolly garden - it certainly has a cheering effect when I wander round.

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  14. I love this riot of colour. Your garden is just stunning and yes cheating with plants is what I do too sometimes. I started a long time ago with colours according to the rainbow colourcircle inthe garden. About nothing is left in that way. I love all colours and have many selfseeding plants, nowadays everything is growing and flowering through another and it feels good. Like you feel good in your garden too, that's you.

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    1. I guess I'm just not that organised and plant whatever I like regardless of colour and wherever I can fit it in.

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  15. A most enjoyable, and colourful, post showing a garden which you love, which is much more important than being one that is specifically colour coordinated.
    If I had a garden I'm sure that's how it would look, full of colour and rather informal.
    I agree with all the previous comments as well. Flighty xx

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    1. Thanks Flighty - the garden gives me a lot of pleasure as you know and if I can't go mad in my own garden then where can I.

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  16. Welcome to my world Elaine. I like to think I am more Christopher Lloyd then Alan Titchmarsh :)
    I love a garden that explodes with colour. I have found when I have gone a little too far, if I put some white flowers amongst them, it seem to make the colour clash less noticeable.

    Love your garden........reminds me of my fathers and that is a compliment for sure :)

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    1. Hi Cheryl
      Well there is nothing subtle about Christopher Lloyds planting he obviously takes after me - ha! I'll bear that in mind about the white flowers - thanks for the tip.

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  17. I like your style of all the different colours! I follow that same idea myself. The more colour the better. I'd actually been thinking about adding some pots to my garden as well - I saw it done recently where the gardener had placed the pots of annuals on stands within the garden so they had some nice height! It looked great. Your gardens are just stunning!

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    1. Thank you Diane - that's a good idea about placing the pots on stands - I'll think about that for next year.

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  18. I love your multi color garden. I never believed that garden should be in one or two colors. Nature isn't only blue, red, yellow or white. Every meadow has dozens of colors on it.
    Nevertheless lately my garden is turning blue/purplish. I can't help it. I love blue, purple and lavender colors. Even my first rose which I bought when I was 10 years old was pale lavender. I have a feeling soon my garden will turn into one big blue flower.

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    1. I love the blues and purples too and try to mix them in whenever I can.

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  19. Oh Elaine - you are a gardener after my own heart - I don't care what goes together - if I love it I stick it in where ever I can find a spot. Wow I adore your cheating...for sure I will try this one. Don't change a thing about your garden - it is glorious! Have a great week.

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    1. Thanks Debbie - I'm glad we are on the same wave length with regards to random planting - it works for me.

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  20. Not cheating Elaine but creative thinking :)

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    1. Oh creative thinking sounds better than cheating - that's what I'll call it from now on.

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  21. A wonderful tip, one that I will be borrowing soon. I love hot pink, and touches of yellow...to me it's not riotous in a clashing way, but contrasting in a way that makes your spirit soar.

    Jen

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    1. It might some groan but it makes me smile and that's what it's all about - don't you agree.

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  22. You are awesome! I feel the same way about color! HA! I have always admired those gardens with soft colors that all seem to blend together...but nope...that is not me either! Pops of color just make me happy! And your garden makes me happy! Your garden is GORGEOUS!!!! It is the most magnificent space friend! And your tip about filling in with pots...Thank you! I could sure use this as the season goes on! A wonderful week to you lady! Nicole xo

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    1. Maybe one day I will get tired of all this colour and go for something more restful to the eye - but not yet a while. I don't mind being the crazy old lady it suits me just fine.

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  23. Your color-filled garden is great! It makes one sit up and take notice, so much beauty to take in. Very good tip about filling in with pots.

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    1. Thank you for visiting Susie - my garden certainly doesn't fade into the background that's for sure.

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  24. It looks like a proper cottage garden to me ... you're only missing the veg muddled in with the flowers and we could call you a traditionalist.

    And as had already been said, it looks like a happy garden, which is just as it should be :)

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    1. Those cane wigwams that you can see in one or two of the pictures are for runner beans in the flower bed so it seems I am a traditionalist!

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  27. I absolutely love the colour in your garden, It looks real and beautiful and must be such a joy to walk around. I do like the pots in border idea too, thanks for that and I must say your summer planting is a real hit!xxx

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    1. Thank you Snowbird - glad you like the garden in its coat of many colours. Calm and tranquil has gone out of the window this year.

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  28. I do like have bursts of bright colour within the garden. We once visited Christopher Lloyd's garden at Great Dixter quite soon after he had dug up the rose garden and put in bright and zingy plants instead and it was fantastic. Your garden pictures remind me of this! Sarah x

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    1. Thank you Sarah - quite a compliment - I have never visited his garden but seen plenty of pictures and always thought his garden is something to aspire to.

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  29. I take a similar approach to color and buy what I like without much thought to color schemes. I also like bold colors, but right now the garden seems to be all shades of mauve and magenta. How on earth did that happen?? As to "cheating" I think it isn't cheating at all. It's actually pretty "clever".

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    1. Thanks Jennifer. I seem to have years where one colour dominates, who know what it will be next year.

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  30. I love your garden--just perfect with all those different flowers and wonderful color!

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    1. Thank you Erin - that's very kind of you to say so.

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  31. Perfect! Wonderful tip and just love looking at your gardens.

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    1. Thanks Glo - very kind of you to say so.

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  32. Thank you for the cheaty pot tip, a very good idea indeed. I think your colour choices work well and they harmonise. The planting reminds me of Kaffe Fassett's knitwear and is very joyful because of it.

    Jean x

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    1. Thanks for visiting Jean - I love Kaffe Fassett's use of colour so I will take it as a compliment.

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  33. I absolutely love your garden. It feels so real and welcoming. I love pink and orange and yellow together and designed a few areas of my container garden this year with pink, orange, red, and yellow flowers. All that's missing from it's Carnivale theme is beads!

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    1. Thank you Tammy - very kind of you to say so. I can remember one year coming back from vacation I saw some window boxes outside a hotel - planted in hot pink, orange and deep purple - they looked absolutely stunning and my jaw dropped. I have been trying to replicate that feeling ever since.

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