Zinnias. Photo by Judith Canty Graves
“The duty that we owe to our gardens…is to use the plants so that they shall form beautiful pictures.” — Gertrude Jekyll, English gardener
By Judith Canty Graves
As I work in my garden throughout the year, I make choices almost every day about the plants I am growing. I know that different plants offer many creative opportunities for a visually uplifting garden. Seeing a variety of colorful plants in my backyard or on my patio is a joy.
For a creative garden, it is important to first reflect on the look you want and then research the types of available plants. I like to consult the writing of Gertrude Jekyll, the great English gardener and writer, to visualize my garden the way she did with her gardens.
In her book, Colour Schemes for the Flower Garden, published in 1908, Miss Jekyll uses her training as a fine art painter in England to offer good advice for gardeners. She believed that it is important to start with “sincerity of purpose, sense of beauty and artistic knowledge to create a year-long succession of living pictures.” To her, fine art and gardening were the same thing.
Jekyll’s book encourages me to consider different color combinations. For example, each spring, when I plant zinnias, I am inspired by the creative choices as I select different types of seeds. Before planting, I gather the various seed packets that show the range of colors of each specific zinnia plant. For my garden, I choose taller zinnias for the back row, then medium-sized ones, then smaller ones in the front. I plant the seeds in a way that will produce a vibrant combination of contrasting shades and colors.
Another great annual with which to experiment is the sunflower. As with zinnias, there are dozens of available varieties. I choose the seeds carefully to include a range of heights and colors. I like to plant them in the back of the vegetable beds where the large, saucer-shaped flowers will be visible. The tallest sunflower, the Mammoth Titan, can reach a height of 12 feet.
Perennials also offer creative choices in the garden, especially the hydrangea. With so many varieties available, there is much to consider. Shade-loving hydrangeas have blooms with colors of white, pink, lavender and blue, while sun-loving hydrangeas have white flowers that slowly turn pink.
Start planning your creative garden in April by thinking of your empty garden beds as a blank canvas on which you will “paint” a floral picture. Look at the light carefully throughout the day in the spring and summer to determine how much sunlight reaches your garden. Then consider which plants will do well with that light.
Once you know what plants you want to grow, research the different varieties. Seed catalogs have pictures that will help you visualize the colors, shapes of blooms and the height of each plant. Then imagine the end result as you work to create a harmonious and colorful garden.
Judith Canty Graves is an award-winning columnist with a home garden in Asheville. Follow @TheObservantGardener on Instagram to see new garden photos daily.
