As folks who know me well would agree, I'm some what of a plant-aholic. So my planting style at home may be best labeled as changing vignettes and at times confined cottage chaos. My own garden has the bones of design yet my plants are a horticultural lab for my experimenting and tinkering. I like testing where plants do well and what looks great with what. If a plant is supposed to do well in part sun or full sun, I will plant in both and see how they do. Also what will thrive in the clayey soil and what needs amendment or a raised bed of controlled soil. What affect do micro climates in my own yard have on the same plant. With one experiment, I discovered that not only do full size tomatoes do very well in containers (on a timed drip) yet they did a lot better with only 4 hours of sun between two-story houses with the backing stucco radiating heat through the evening
better than the one planted in the front in full sun from sun rise to sun set in a raised bed also on drip. Go figure. That radiating heat made a huge difference for the vegetables that depend on heat to produce and ripen. I have noticed this in the past with corn as well, which has grown as tall as a one story house. I explore drought tolerant, which some thrive and some survive in those conditions, most plants like some water. This information assists me when I plan designs or give advice.
Here are a few of the vignettes I have played with:
Black and Blue Sage with Mexican Feather Grass.
Pink Stripe Phormium (New Zealand Flax) with self seeded alyssum, sedum and at the base, native Blue Fescue, which strangely has never bloomed in it's two years planted with this Phormium. All the other Blue Fescue in various other areas of the yard have bloomed each year and sent out seeds.
Interesting experiment in strappy sort of plants with the same Pink Stripe Phormium, red Kangaroo Paw, spring peach tulips and white freesia and Lamb's Ear. The messy leaves crossing the picture are from Irises since removed and are best planted in mass. There are not many broad leaf drought tolerant plants...they lose too much moisture with large leaves. So changing textures with leaf sizes can be a challenge. Early spring bulbs can work with drought tolerant plants since they don't depend on summer water since they are dormant. Daffodils are dependable to come up and flower again as tulips require a deep freeze. Bulbs in pots will also give a better show having more cold exposure.
A closer look at the same red Kangaroo Paw with a naturalizing Freesia (non smelling variety).
A grouping of Golden Euonymus, Spanish Lavender, Pink CA Poppy, ice plant and around the other side a purple leafed Hebe. All in clay/rock soil and drought tolerant irrigation. This is the full spring bloom. This same poppy is on this blog title page, and yes there are other colors than orange.
Coprosma with new growth on previous winter chill color.
Bearded Iris with Dusty Miller a study in color and texture.
Annual sage plants and Sage 'Mystic Spires' with sunflowers and Carex. Purples and yellows always seem to work together as long as there is a mix of leaf textures. Plus bees and butterflies LOVE them and small birds eat the seeds of Mystic Spire. The same birds like the seeds on my Spanish Lavenders too but seem to prefer the white and pink blooming plants over the purple. The bees find Thyme irresistible but don't pose an issue with pedestrians as I have bee covered creeping thyme near a path. The bees completely ignore everyone while humming around the flowers.
