Hello GPODers!
After two sunny days in Lee’s backyard (take a look at Half 1 and Half 2 in case you missed them), we’re sticking to summer season this week and having fun with some sensational peak-season containers from Leslie Ornelas in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Leslie first shared her backyard over 10 years in the past (take a look at these submissions right here: Leslie’s Backyard in Colorado Springs, Extra from Leslie’s Backyard in Colorado, and Leslie’s Backyard in Colorado: Revisited), and she or he’s lastly again to share a little bit little bit of what she’s been as much as within the backyard since then.
It’s been fairly a number of years since my final submission, whereas I’ve loved others’ gardens on GPOD.
I lately made a presentation whereas making use of for the Grasp Gardener program right here in Colorado Springs; my matter, Ardour for Pots, could also be a great submission to GPOD.
Gardening in Colorado is at all times a problem, coping with late/early freezes, desiccating winds, semi-arid circumstances, and the dreaded H-word—HAIL. But gardeners are a hearty and cussed ilk, not simply dissuaded from our ardour for rising and immersing ourselves in nature.
Container planting is a favourite artistic outlet of mine, given the pliability of rising an enormous number of crops in ever-changing mixtures. Particularly thrilling is experimenting with new designs annually, in addition to repeating profitable mixes.
Over time, foliage has develop into the inspiration of most plantings. Flowers are at all times enchanting, but attention-grabbing foliage crops, particularly coleus, guarantee constant magnificence all through the season. Together with grasses, which fare nicely by way of bouts of hail, perennials reminiscent of hostas and heucheras are nice container decisions.
Highlighting the containers are pedestals I’ve created with Mexican tiles over terra-cotta chimney liners. Elevating pots to various heights provides one other degree of curiosity.
Container planting is a wonderful jumping-off level for freshmen to gardening, and an ongoing pleasure for skilled growers. Hope you take pleasure in my pots by way of the years!
It’s onerous to think about the difficult rising circumstances Leslie describes when trying on the container abundance we see on this show. Every nook of this deck is roofed in vivid blooms and the eye-catching foliage that she talked about in her introduction.
When your containers are as artistic as Leslie’s, a plain pedestal is not going to do. Colourful tiles add much more curiosity to her areas and play off of the colours she crops above.
With foliage this colourful, who wants flowers? The purple shamrock (Oxalis triangularis, Zones 8–11 or as an annual), chartreuse candy potato vine (Ipomoea batatas, Zones 9–11 or as an annual), and two tie-dye coleus on this container grouping are so vibrant that the pink geraniums to the suitable nearly fade into the background.
Leslie’s mixtures are fabulous from afar and simply as thrilling within the close-up. Variegated flowering maple (Abutilon pictum ‘Thompsonii’, Zones 8–11 or as an annual) is an exciting plant in isolation, with the sweetest bell-shaped blooms and unbelievable speckled foliage, nevertheless it’s made much more spectacular with a coordinating coleus.
As we noticed above, Leslie can create some marvelous purple plantings. This excellent purple-and-green design options: Swish Grasses® Prince Tut™ dwarf Egyptian papyrus (Cyperus papyrus ‘Prince Tut’, Zones 10–11 or as an annual), purple petunias, ‘Blackie’ candy potato vine (Ipomoea batatas ‘Blackie’, Zone 11 or as an annual), and a very cool water characteristic that provides a little bit additional top and pizzazz.
One other gorgeous purple combo: This one swaps the Prince Tut™ grass for purple fountain grass and a darker purple petunia, showcasing how even delicate adjustments can provide a container a totally new vibe.
As we’ve seen in all of Leslie’s designs, she has a knack for combining specimens that spill, path, and fully cowl every pot in plant curiosity. If it weren’t for the pavers and tiny nook of the planter that may be seen, this grouping may give the phantasm that it was rising proper out of the bottom.
It’s extra proof of the ability of foliage, together with the distinction and variety that may be achieved with the suitable crops. Chartreuse candy potato vine, purple fountain grass, coleus, and Tropicanna® canna (Canna ‘Phasion’, Zones 7–11) explode from all sides of this packed pot.
Lastly, a easy trio that performs with darkish and lightweight: ‘Angel Wings’ senecio (Senecio candicans ‘Senaw’, Zones 8–11 or as an annual), Brilliant Lights™ Horizon™ Sundown African daisy (Osteospermum ‘DANOSTICAUR’, Zone 9–11 or as an annual), and a darkish decorative cabbage (Brassica oleracea cvs., Zones 7–11).
And in addition, similar to our good buddy Lee, Leslie despatched in so many wonderful pictures of her completely different container designs that I couldn’t slender it right down to only one put up. Tomorrow we are going to return to Colorado Springs to see extra of the resilient and ravishing containers she has created.
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