Comments on: Garden music – part 2 (dissonance)

By: Blackswampgirl Kim

Blackswampgirl Kim — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:53:24 +0000

Awww… thanks, Kris. I needed to hear that today.

Oh good – I was hoping you’d take that as the compliment I meant! -kris

By: Mr. McGregor's Daughter

Mr. McGregor's Daughter — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:35:32 +0000

Phlox paniculata ‘Nicky’ looks absolutely revolting with ‘Little Grapette’ Daylily. You’d think they’d go together, both purplish flowers, but yuck, especially when ‘Nicky’ is in full magenta stage. Large Japanese Anemones hide Daylily foliage. (They hide the Daylilies too.) I’ve got another Daylily with the foliage hidden behind Endless Summer Hydrangea, which just doesn’t get that big around here.

I’ll have to see if you’ve posted a picture of the revolto-combo! And you’re right about Japanese anemones – they probably wouldn’t mind at all growing up through the daylily straps and then hide them quite conveniently. We have a few in the North Garden – maybe we’ll try moving them to more useful situations. Thanks for the tips! -kris

By: Niels

Niels — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:58:15 +0000

I really like the analogy you used between designing a garden / plant combinations and music. It´s like getting a symphony orcestra to sound right and play in tune. My lillies and some hardy geraniums definetely need to shape up in my garden!

Niels, I love the thought of us “conducting” our gardens! What will your neighbors think when you wave your baton (pruners?) to cue the lilies (the brass section?) and the geraniums (strings?) to keep up with the tempo? -kris

By: Blackswampgirl Kim

Blackswampgirl Kim — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:27:51 +0000

I absolutely cannot figure out how to camouflage the bad daylily foliage… but I know that Karen at 1-2-3-Go Garden (see my bloglinks if you want to visit her, as I can’t figure out how to put html links here) uses them a lot AND has a fairly foliage-oriented garden somehow. So I think it’s my failing… but I frankly just don’t use them at all because of that!

I have some dissonance going on in the garden right now, but mainly it’s due to weeds. And my propensity to plant things a bit too close…. somehow the way I fit in a lot of plants resembles more of a clanging pot than a thundering crescendo. *sigh*

Kim, Thanks for directing me to 1-2-3-Go Garden – she definitely has some amazing daylilies – I could almost love some of those blooms. But she cleverly photographed them without showing the foliage. I’ll have to be in touch I guess to see if she has tricks up her sleeve…
I hear ya with the weeds and packed planting – I’ve got those problems at home too. You’d think all the plants would stifle the weeds… But I’ve seen pictures of your garden – you say clanging pots, I say Radiohead. -kris

By: Chookie

Chookie — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:22:49 +0000

Well, my main problem is the kikuyu, which is as ubiquitous as those people who cough through classical concerts.

WRT the North Garden: too many specimens, and not enough variation in leaf shape/colour. There is one large rounded leaf form at the front — perhaps more of that and fewer of other species? And is there enough sun there for the Swiss chard?

Funny, Chookie! I had to look up kikuyu grass – looks like it’s as devilish as our goutweed (Aegopodium). And you’re right about that corner. The round leaf in the picture belongs to Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) and we have a lot of them in that garden as a foil for the bitty leaved plants. As for the Swiss Chard, they’d get enough sun if the Plectranthus hadn’t grown gangbusters! -kris