Hugh’s Long Flower Border Last Summer

A talented gardener and photographer weaves together a beautiful tapestry of colors in an impressive 80-ft. border

Hi GPODers !

Today a contributor has answered our call for summer color with a collection of blooms in just about every shade imaginable . Hugh Locke in New York has shared some seriously colorful picture in his old submission ( Hugh ’s Celebration of Annuals From Seed , Some Plants Worth Growing , Close - ups in Hugh ’s Garden , etc . ) , many of which are his arresting ‘ flower portrayal ’ that he also share on a regular basis on his Instagram ( @hugh.locke ) . In this submission he ’s diving late into an dead telling border he created last summer :

I created a vibrant 80 - foot - long flower moulding in Westchester with an raiment of annual and perennials , the majority of which I grow from seed . The photos here are from last summertime .

My approaching is based on the classic English heyday perimeter that mixes colour and texture with a step of elevation from front to back . It is also deep enough to adapt a wide miscellanea of flowers that are positioned to ensure a continuous show all season long .

One of the highlights of last summer was this orange and jaundiced snapdragon(Antirrhinum majus‘Potomac Orange ’ , annual)that was grown from cum and rebloomed on cue .

Part of the fun is putting dissimilar flower together to see what find . Here the experiment exploit out with a purple gamy gnome ‘ Aloha blueish ’ ageratum ( mist-flower houstonianum ‘ Aloha Blue’)(Ageratum houstonianum‘Aloha Blue ’ , annual)that bloomed continuously until frost . Thezinniaswere likewise in full bloom until rime , from go out to right wing : ‘ Profusion Double Hot Cherry ’ , ‘ profuseness Double Deep Salmon ’ , ‘ Zahara Starlight Rose ’ , and Profusion Apricot ’ .

The focal point of a different section of the border is ‘ Musifolia ’ canna(Canna‘Musifolia ’ , Zones 7–10).This is the world ’s marvelous eff mixture , which topped out last summertime at 8 feet tall . While it has humble red bloom late in the time of year , the leaves are its good feature article .

White flowers can sometimes get lost , but these two stand out against a hedge and some canna : Culver ’s root(Veronicastrum virginicum , Zones 3–8)on the leftover and woodland tobacco(Nicotianasylvestris , Zones 10–11 or as an annual)with its firework of trumpet flowers on the right .

Hugh has been try out with coleus , with this multifariousness a clear success ‘ Colocha Rose ’ coleus(Plectranthusscutellarioides‘Colocha Rose ’ , Zones 10–11 or as an annual)when grown next to ‘ Profusion Apricot ’ zinnias .

This image show off the range of colors and textures to maximal burden . Pink cosmos(Cosmosbipinnatus‘Rosetta ’ , annual)and blue salvia(Salviafarinacea‘Victoria Blue ’ , Zones 8–10 or as an annual)are in front of striking yellow goldenrod ( Solidago ) , next to which is lacy clean yarrow(Achilleamillefolium , Zones 3–9) … all grown from seed , with the perennials now a few years old .

‘ Casa Blanca ’ Oriental lilies(Lilium‘Casa Blanca ’ , Zones 5–8)steal the show , with a backdrop of violet cleome(Cleome hassleriana‘Violet Queen ’ , annual).To the right are repeated Shasta daisies(Leucanthemum‘Madonna ’ , zone 3–9)grown from source last spring and happily blossom their first yr out .

Yet another section of the border is dominated by this giant genus Castor bean(Ricinus communis‘Zanzibariensis ’ , Zones 9–11 or as an annual).An annual grown from seeded player , this tropic beauty finally reached 14 feet by the remnant of the time of year . At that point the stem was the diameter of a small Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree body and digging up the mysterious root organisation was a major undertaking .

This celosia(Celosiaplumosa‘Yachiyo Hiryu ’ , annual)was a new addition last twelvemonth and is now on the lasting list of yearbook .

Each class I bug out seeds indoors under luminance , beginning in February . While most are annuals , each year there are a few perennial ( some of which admittedly take two days to put on a show of flowers ) . Last spring the result was close just over 350 plants in 4 column inch sight quick for transplantation .

Here are just a few instance of the closeup flower portraits from my garden you’re able to see on myInstagram .

Thank you so much for another memorable submission , Hugh ! As many of us look out into gray , blanched , and brownish landscapes of winter , your plant portrayal and colorful garden compounding are a much - needed admonisher of the warmth and coloration that awaits us later in the year .

Have photos to share ? We ’d hump to see your garden , a special ingathering of plants you love , or a wondrous garden you had the chance to visit !

To submit , send 5 - 10 photos to[email protected]along with some entropy about the works in the moving-picture show and where you take the exposure . We ’d bed to hear where you are located , how long you ’ve been garden , successes you are proud of , failure you get word from , hopes for the future , favorite plants , or funny story from your garden .

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