Garden Photo of the Day

Rich Colors in Sun and Shade

Rich displays of flowers are everywhere in this garden

By Fine Gardening editors

Todays photos come from Sandy Lynch and Steven Edson’s garden. They didn’t send along much information about it, but the incredible photos speak for themselves!

Oriental poppiesAll of the early summer-flowering plants here do best in climates with cool summers: brilliant red Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale, Zones 3–7), purple-spired lupines (Lupinus polyphyllus, Zones 4–8), and rich blue delphinium (Delphinium elatum, Zones 3–7).

candelabra primrosesA celebration of spring flowers in a shaded area. In the foreground, candelabra primroses (Primula japonica, Zones 4–8) bloom in various shades of pink. These tall, dramatic primroses love wet, even boggy soils but are otherwise easy to make happy. Behind them are masses of blue Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica, Zones 4–9). These spring-flowering bulbs are easy to grow, and unlike most of the common spring bulbs, they grow and flower happily in shaded areas.

garden shedA little garden shed is surrounded by annuals in containers blooming their hearts out.

An opening in the shrubbery reveals a flowery garden beyond. I love it when gardens include little half-hidden views like this. It is fun to get a teasing sneak peak of what is to come, and it draws you on to see what lies beyond.

Plants grow among rocks in this colorful spring scene. Small daffodils (probably Narcissus ‘Tete-a-tete’, Zones 3–8) mingle with primroses (Primula, Zones 3–8). The stones make a great contrast to these delicate spring flowers and form a beautiful frame that shows them off to perfection. Growing in the rock work is Sedum ‘Angelina’ (Zones 3–11) and the unusual speckled leaves of spotted hawkweed (Heiracium maculatum, Zones 4–9).

 

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Comments

  1. garden1953 12/19/2019

    I love the gardens. Very beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

    1. Steven11 12/19/2019

      Thanks

  2. User avater
    meander_michaele 12/19/2019

    Hard not to feel a twinge of gardener envy when I see a photo that stars not just delphiniums but also statuesque lupines and the glorious splash of red from the poppies...sigh...literally, picture perfect.

    1. Steven11 12/19/2019

      Thanks

  3. User avater
    treasuresmom 12/19/2019

    I have planted lots of Tete-a-tete around here & they do very well. I love primrose doesn't but sadly they won't grow here due to our heat.

  4. carolineyoungwilliams 12/19/2019

    Sandy and Steven, you have really out done yourselves. Your garden speaks volume. I love the choice of flowers and the color combinations. Thank you so much for sharing such beauty.

    1. Steven11 12/19/2019

      Thanks

  5. User avater
    simplesue 12/19/2019

    What a darling garden and little garden shed/plant room! This place is enchanted!
    Love those Spanish Bluebells, and Delphiniums and the rocky walls with flowers growing!
    And oh! That view of the garden through the opening of the shrubbery! Fabulous!

    1. Steven11 12/19/2019

      Thanks

  6. btucker9675 12/19/2019

    Like a beautiful Impressionist painting!

    1. Steven11 12/19/2019

      thanks

  7. cheryl_c 12/19/2019

    Beautiful plantings in beautiful settings - please do send more, especially of your garden later in the season. (So jealous of those who can grow lupines and primroses and delphinium - our summers here kills them right after they bloom.)

    1. Steven11 12/19/2019

      Thanks will post more hopefully

  8. user-5117752 12/21/2019

    Oh, how truly lovely, warming my heart on this dreary winter day!!! The colors, the combinations are wonderful and now, you make me yearn for spring with that beautiful planting of daffodils and primroses and, notably, the hawkweed! Bought some hawkweeds 2 years ago and they're now among my favorites. Just haven't displayed them as nicely as you have. Time to rethink a lot of my garden spaces!

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