Sally Matless is sharing some scenes throughout the year of her garden in Norwich, Vermont.
A satiny purple tulip glistens with water droplets. How long do we have to wait until these start flowering again? I’m already over winter!
In this wonderful mixture of different foliage plants, the dark purple leaves of Tradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’ (Zones 7–10 or as an annual) and Oxalis triagularis (Zones 7–11 or as annual) contrast beautifully with the silver-patterned foliage of Begonia ‘Gyphon’ (Zones 8–10 or as annual) and silver lace fern (Pteris ensiformis, annual or houseplant).
This glowing hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum, Zones 3–9) looks like the cultivar ‘Gold Nugget’, which moves through various shades of yellow and green touched with orange through the seasons, with the brightest colors in the cooler months of the year.
When a yellow-green coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides, annual, perhaps the variety ‘Electric Lime’) combines with the electric purple foliage of Strobilanthes dyeriana (annual), who needs flowers? Both of these are usually grown as annuals, but cuttings will root easily in a glass of water to be overwintered on a sunny windowsill.
Tender succulents such as this beautiful Echeveria (perhaps the variety ‘Ruffles’) can’t take frost, but they are easily overwintered indoors in cold climates and have leaves as beautiful as any flower.
Tuberous begonias (Begonia hybrid) have flowers that look like roses. They perform best in climates with cool summers, and as the name suggests, form tubers underground that can be overwintered to grow again next year.
Rich purple bearded iris (Iris germanica hybrid, Zones 3–8)
A hardy waterlily (Nymphaea, Zones 5–9) blooms in a water feature. You don’t have to have a pond to enjoy water lilies; many of the smaller hybrids will grow and bloom just fine in a water-filled container as long as they have plenty of sun.
It is easy to see how ‘Waterlily’ colchicum (Colchicum autumnale ‘Waterlily’, Zones 4–10) gets its name. The big, petal-filled flowers bloom in the fall, innocent of any foliage. The leaves will come up in the spring before dying back in the summer. All summer there is nothing visible above ground until these huge flowers pop up at the end of the growing season.
Euphorbia × martinii ‘Ascott Rainbow’ (Zone 5–9) has incredible variegated foliage from spring through fall. Even better, it is highly resistant to deer and rabbits.
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Comments
I had to laugh, because I'm already about out of windowsill space and am running out of people to pass on indoor begonias to. I'm usually a fly by the seat of my pants gardener, but I'm already starting to plan...what? I love seeing these gorgeous pictures in the morning, but it's not helping the real view now out my window.
I too am out of windowsill space and every year I tell myself I will not bring so many annuals in to try and overwinter them and every year I bring in too many! The two coleus that I have kept going for years are ‘El Brighto’ and the lime green (maybe ‘electric lime’).
Beautiful! Love all of the purple!
I have a real weakness for purple leaves in the garden! I only wish there were more zone appropriate purple leaved perennial plants, trees and shrubs!
Love that colchicum. Even though it is rated for zones 9-10, if it is hot & humid where you live, they will not last past 1 year.
This is the second year for this colchicum bulb in my Vermont garden. It can be hot and humid here- but that could be a relative statement- 90s and humid are not a daily phenomenon here!
So gorgeous. Love your combinations. Thanks for sharing. Your gardens must be awesome. Wish I could visit!
Thank you!
I love your color scheme and your close-ups. Isn't Ascot Rainbow the most amazing plant - something new every season in the color department, and evergreen here in zone 6. I have only one, but am thinking I will add more as a repeating theme. Easy-peasy. Thanks for sharing on this dark rainy morning in the midwest.
Ascot Rainbow is one of my favorites even though it is not always reliably hardy here. This picture has taken in December when everything else in my garden was brown. Hopefully it will make it through this winter but if not I will buy more and try again! All the best!
Sally - I love your combinations in Photo of the Day. I also really like the bright white of your water lily and looking at that photo is very calming. Thank you for sharing all of your hard work!
Thank you!
Ohhhhh, such beautiful pics!!! And your combinations are marvelous!!! Winter has hardly begun and here we are wishing away our days 'til spring. I guess that's another gardener's dilemma. Just can't stay in "the now" and, here in the western part of North Carolina, we have about 4 months to go before digging can begin again. Maybe crocuses in March. Happy New Year to all!!!
Thank you! I as always am hoping for an early spring! Take care!
I saved a couple of your photos! So pretty and inspiring and happy to learn of some new plants I could add to my own garden!
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