Today in the garden...

As I go out the back door and walk down the steps, I always (well, almost always) look at this vignette. I find the contrast interesting: the very much "Fall-ness" of the orange Violas in their terra-cotta pot next to the Summer-y red, white, and blue of Calibrochia, Bacopa, and Salvia farinacea.




Santa Barbara Daisy (Erigeron karvinskianus) was introduced to me by a very dear friend in California, so I am pleased that it grows here as well. I have moved mine to grow along the top of a short wall rather than having them get lost down on the ground.




The Laurel Oak leaves in the "pond" add to the very interesting Corkscrew Rush (Juncus). You know, I have all the same plants almost all the time, but I never tire of looking at them.




The next three plants are all planted in the same bed, although not all of them are right next to each other. I just love the colors of them with one another. The first one is Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' and it will have adorable blue flowers in the Spring, but for now, the foliage is great all on its own.




The colors of this variegated Sedum sure have intensified since I put it into the ground and the weather cooled off. I have tried off and on for years to acquire and grow this Sedum! I know that must sound strange because you would think it is a fairly basic, straight-forward plant; I've just had difficulties with it. Maybe now is the time all that will change.



The third plant in this group is a Heuchera. Somewhere I have the plant tag for this one. I know - you've heard that from me before. Well, someday I really will get my plant tags filed properly! Anyhow, the foliage of this one is gorgeous and I like the way it looks with the Ajuga and the variegated Sedum.



Did you know I would get to some "blues" today? You know my garden wouldn't be my garden without blues. Every time I look at these lovely Violas I have planted along the top of a wall, I am always struck by how cool they look with the various Coral Bells (Heuchera) planted behind them.




One of my absolute favorite blue-flowered plants is Salvia 'Indigo Spires.' All summer long it did sort of ho-hum, but now it just glows, if blue glows. I wonder if it is too late to take cuttings of it? I think I'll try anyway.



The blooms of Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' are smaller now. I don't know if that is the time of year or if they have just used up lots of nutrients in the soil. But they are still incredibly wonderful.


Have a beautiful day!