Every now and then I like to look at a black and white photo of my garden to see where I need more contrast. As I look up toward the main arbor, I think the contrast here is pretty good.
Here is the same picture in color:
I see a good amount of like/dark. I am fairly happy.
As I go just a few feet further down the path, I notice the top left side needs contrast--it all looks the same color in black/white. I have never been happy with this area. It does not get much sun and it's all rock so I can't dig down very deep. So far I have been content to let any plant that survives the winter to remain here.
Here is the color version:
I wonder if I could dig deep enough to get a Ninebark back there. Hmmmm.....DH can dig deeper than I can, but he HATES to do it...If I talk sweetly maybe, just maybe he will try. It's a terrible job. You have to chip away at the rock. If you are lucky you will hit a decent-sized boulder and after chipping away around it, you will be able to remove it and the hole left will be big enough to put a gallon-size shrub in. I am alwalys amazed that any plant will grow in such poor conditions. I bet a nice patch of Lamb's Ear would work there. That silver color is great in so many areas.
This path is the new one we put in a few weeks ago. I am so happy with the Cardinal flower (the red one). It has been blooming for nearly two months. What a great perennial. I hope it survives the winter. Please ignore the hose. I was lugging it around in the ealry morning hours to get the new path plantings watered.
Here I stepped back to get the coleus in the shot.
I really like that splotchy coleus. It had no name when I bought it. There are so many great coleus varieties now. If you have not grown them in the past few years, you really should try a few of the new ones. Who needs flowers when the foliage is that gorgeous?
Rocks in Michigan? Surely you jest. LOL!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've never thought of looking at the garden in this way--with dark and light contrasts. You're such a good source of info.
Have a great week, Zoey. And watch out for rocks.
:)
Zoey your yard is so beautiful. You know it's funny you bring this up. I was just removing a few flowering shrubs yesterday and adding others. I was going to move my Viburnum Autumn Jazz elsewhere because my Weeping Picea is in front of it and both being green you don't notice the Picea like I wanted. Bought a yellow shrub for back there. Well I dug down on two sides and talk about dry. So I stopped and thought I am not watering here everyday and this shrub does great in this horrible dry spot, the new one won't do as well, I am leaving it. :) So just food for thought for a dry spot, that Viburnum looks great and even flowered in the spring. My yellow looks great in another spot I had wanted it in anyway.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
What a clever idea to change a photo to B&W to check out the garden....your garden is beautiful in color AND in B&W!!! I don't have rocks down here in metro-D, I have sand. And it's not even "sandy loam", it's sand. But it's easy to dig through, unlike your rocks. =(
ReplyDeleteyour garden is beautiful....even in black and white...
ReplyDeleteZoey, Your gardens are always beautiful. Would you come and help me with mine? lol
ReplyDeleteBarb
I've heard that black/white trick before...but never tried it...guess I'm chicken to see if my garden is up to snuff!
ReplyDeleteZoey, if I had such a beautiful garden I would be very happy. Too bad about those rocks..I'm thinking that digging in your garden results in some great muscles:)
ReplyDelete