Western Border With Gladioli, Liatris, and Echinacea
With Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) now in full bloom, the western border is shifting away from the mostly blue color palette of spring. Similar transitions are occurring all over the garden as brighter colors, rich enough to compete with the sun’s bright glare, are beginning to dominate.
Western Border With Gladioli and Echinacea
Western Border With Gladioli and Echinacea
Monarda didyma (Scarlet Beebalm)
[Unfortunately the garden’s beautiful red-orange daylilies became deer food this weekend. They were ruined along with the garden’s secret hoard of phlox paniculata.]
Plants of white and silver work well as counterpoints against deep, bright hues such as these strong reds. Silver leaved plants such as perennial Dusty Miller, Artemisia and Lavender are useful in that they can make colors stand out, but they also can provide a restful tranquility to the garden.
Dusty Miller
Artemisia
Some white gladioli are already open; the dense spikes of white Liatris spicata ‘Alba’ (Gayfeather) should bloom in another 7-10 days; and the white delicate-looking but sturdy annual, Lobularia hybrid ‘Snow Princess’ (Sweet Alyssum), is filling out nicely and should make a good ground cover near the Monarda for the entire summer.
Sweet Alyssum
pbmGarden 
I noticed how the colours were changing in my garden too. Shame about the deer eating so many plants, it must be disheartening. Christina
I want to become more purposeful in designing the plant color combinations. So much of it changed since I originally designed the garden due to drought, deer and just the nature of plants, and I haven’t been very thoughtful in the last few years about the design. Hope to change that.
You have some lovely plants. Nice post.
Thanks. The garden has been fairly low maintenance the last month and I specially chose plans for this time of year that would not need too much pampering.