Cherry Ong of Richmond, British Columbia, has contributed to the GPOD many times (if you’ve missed seeing her earlier posts, check out this one of some of her amazing gardens), and she just sent in some wonderful images of her garden at its peak this summer, along with one shot of her new gardening buddy!
The reddish color of the leaves of this tall Japanese maple is echoed in the beautiful foliage in the containers below it. The yellow variegated Japanese forest grass brings a contrasting color and texture in between.
I’m always amazed by how much color you can get just from leaves! Colorful foliage plants make for containers that put in a display that lasts much longer than flowers would but is just as beautiful. Read this to learn about simplifying your color scheme and creating eye-catching contrast in your garden.
Bright yellow-green foliage is the unifying thread of this scene in the garden.
The genus heuchera has some of the best foliage out there, and by mixing different varieties of heuchera together, Cherry has created an incredible tapestry of contrasting color.
Another tapestry of contrasting foliage color, this time from succulents! Hen-and-chicks (Sempervivum spp.) dominate here, showing off just how diverse this easy-to-grow group of plants can be.
A row of pitcher plants (Sarracenia spp. and hybrids) shows again how much diversity and contrast you can get from carefully choosing within a single group of plants.
Cherry’s new gardening friend! This cutie would like to remind everyone to stop and smell the flowers.
A wider view of part of Cherry’s garden. I love the diversity of textures and colors visible here just from foliage. Read this for texture combination ideas!
A close view of an inspired combination of two different coleus and a Japanese maple. These three plants have a lot of common, but there’s enough contrast in color and shape to make them really show off wonderfully together. The backdrop of bright green foliage below also really makes the darker-colored leaves show off beautifully.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Rain Bird PATIOKIT Drip Irrigation Patio Watering Kit
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Pruning Simplified: A Step-by-Step Guide to 50 Popular Trees and Shrubs
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Comments
Cherry, everything is amazing. Love it all.
Thank you.
I'm with treasuremom. Everything is beautifully composed and inspiring.
Awww, thank you.
Beautiful pictures of your always beautiful gardens! Wow, two days in a row of Sarracenia ! And your succulent tapestry is truly inspiring. Thanks so much for sharing.
I know (re: 2 days of Sarracenias)! I think this is the first time Jeff and I had back to back photos which I think is great. Thank you so much for your kind comments. Hope you get to enjoy planting and growing hardy sempervivums and sedums too.
Simply beautiful!!! The lusciousness, the colors, your choices of coleus put together particularly with the maple made me warm all over!!! Thank you, Cherry, for taking the time to share your marvelous gardening skills!!!
Thank you for your very kind comments.
As always, your colors, textures and combinations come together beautifully and comfortably. I'm particularly enchanted with the rectangular planter filled with the different varieties of Sarracenia and moss. They are perfection together!!!
Awww, thanks Sheila. Can't wait to see progression photos of your new garden.
I like the heucheras in a pot. How do you overwinter them?
Your gardens are incredible.
Thank you Towering Pines. I treat my coleus as annuals since I do not have a basement nor greenhouse to overwinter. I pot up some perennials during the summer and transfer them to the same containers during fall for some fall and winter interest.
Ahhh, Cherry, you have created nirvana. The colors, shapes, textures and diversity are complexly unified. I am in awe!
Hey, I'm in awe of your acreage garden! Thanks.
Had to check this out when I saw that it was your garden, Cherry. Everything looks so lush despite the dry summer. Amazing what a little fall rain will do. Of course, Broccoli is your biggest garden asset.
Yes he is. Now if I can only continue to keep him from eating the succulent flowers too. Thanks Linda.
Your late summer/early fall garden croons such a gentle and enveloping lullaby, Cherry. I feel all cozied up in warm colors and soft textures. And what a totally cutie patootie pup you have. What a wonderful life he must have.
Our youngest child now! (And based on research, he's gonna be a toddler forever.) Thanks Michaele.
What a stunning garden - would love to take a long, slow stroll through it in the company of the adorable little Frenchie!
Come on over. Thank you BTucker9675.
Love the picture of the heuchera. I’m trying to create a similar tapestry effect in an area that needed reworking. And it’s nice to see gardeners responding to questions and comments again. I’ve missed that aspect of the GPOD lately.
I guess we all love heucheras. What’s not to love about them right? Why do you think people don’t answer ? Is the site too difficult to navigate?
Perhaps because the ‘reply’ button doesn’t appear unless you are logged in?
I'm a day late in reading your post, but I love it! Question: what is the ground cover under your pitcher plants? It sets them off perfectly! Thanks.
It's two kinds of scotch moss. Sagina subulata and Sagina subulata 'Aurea'. Thank you.
Everything is perfect. You are the ultimate gardener. The heucheras in a pot were my favorite. Wonderful that they come in such a variety of beautiful colors these days.
Cherry, it is always a pleasure to see your gorgeous photos. You have such an incredible knack for fabulous combinations. And such a rich assortment of awesome plants. Thanks so much for sharing!
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in