Saturday, June 1, 2013

THE COLOR PURPLE

Most of the flowers in my garden are perennials since I'm too much of a tight-wad to pay for a bunch of seeds and bedding plants every year.  I also plant mostly native wild flowers since they have a better chance of surviving our harsh weather conditions.  Two years ago I acquired starts for some little bog iris.  I planted them and cared for them, but all I got were a few skinny green leaves.

This year I was finally rewarded with blossoms.  

Another perennial resident is my crop of delphiniums.  I grew the first ones from seed and planted them on the south side of our house where they get plenty of sun and protection from the wind.

Columbines are the state flower of Colorado.  The ones in my garden try to take over the flower bed every year when they self seed.  I have several varieties but these purple and whites are the original color. they are a favorite of bees and hummingbirds.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The sunlight on the iris is beautiful!!

Anonymous said...

We have columbine in our garden as well...they self seed and appear here and there as they see fit. The funny thing is, they are all different colours..never the same from year to year.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Beautiful Leenie. B

Joanne Noragon said...

Columbine are so graceful, like dancers. My iris are small, with slender leaves. Started them from little black seeds that Aunt Laura gave us. We even forgot what they were; we found them in a drawer several years later. They spread quickly.

Alica said...

I'm a perennial lover too...yours are beautiful!

RURAL said...

I love the colors on the blog today...and I am seeing Delphiniums, and columbines everywhere. Which reminds me that I forgot to get some seeds for them...

I have mostly perennials just like you, this is a harsh climate, and very hot in the summer, I get very little bedding plants...lots of perennials.

The pics on my blog were taken with my 50 mm lens 1.4 I do love that dreamy DOF.

Jen

TALON said...

Leenie, like you, I plant perennials and focus a lot on native plants. Makes sense cuz they obviously like their surroundings. :)

I have tons of columbine in my garden. This year the ones in the front have exploded. And my iris are finally (after 3 years) rewarding me with tons of blooms. It's like walking by a candy store every time I walk by them. The scent is intoxicating.

Brian King said...

Rewarded, indeed! Those are beautiful!

Terry and Linda said...

I love perennials...but I am one of those that just must have seeds..annuals are the dance of spring for me. I must say that you have lovely shades of purple and blue, my favorite colors!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

jenny_o said...

Beautiful; we grow all of those here too (eastern maritime Canada).

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos!