Today we are seeing photos of Ray Jones’s garden.

My garden is on new construction. This was a pasture a few years ago and is in Palo, Iowa, Zone 4b/5a. I grow a mix of perennials, tropicals, and annuals. Much of the yard is still in process.

My favorites this year were the petunias ‘Vista Fuschia’ and ‘Vista Paradise’ (Zones 10–11 or as annuals). People stop and take pictures of the front of the house.

This is one of the allium hybrids, either ‘Millenium’ or the very similar ‘Serendipity’ (both Zones 4–8). Unlike the spring-blooming bulbous alliums, which flower and then go dormant, this is one of the summer-blooming rhizomatous alliums, which flower heavily and have foliage that stays green and attractive the whole growing season. In front, masses of bright annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus, Zones 10–11 or as an annual) bloom.

This swallowtail butterfly is a big fan of the allium blooms as well.

The front of the house includes a blaze of color from the petunias. You can see why this planting is literally stopping traffic!

Behind the masses of brilliant petunias is a row of caladiums (Caladium hybrid, Zones 9–11 or as tender bulbs) with nearly entirely white leaves. Caladiums are often recommended for shade, but they can grow in more sun, especially if temperatures are cooler and they have plenty of water.

Behind the blaze of petunias, a tall canna (Canna hybrid, Zones 7–11 or as a tender bulb) with bright yellow-striped foliage adds more color to the planting.

Cannas don’t just have colorful foliage; they have beautiful flowers as well.

Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides, Zones 10–11 or as an annual) is the king of colorful foliage, with varieties that will thrive in sun or shade.

A bright yellow coneflower (Echinacea hybrid, Zones 4–9)

And a coneflower in brilliant orange. The early colorful coneflower hybrids were beautiful but tended not to last long in the garden. The newer breeding has produced better garden plants that are more reliably perennial and that flower like crazy.

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.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon

Morvat Heavy Duty Brass Y-Valve

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- Instantly create two tap outlets with this ultra-durable Y hose splitter. The dual-valve design features built-in shut-off valves.
- Fitted with US Standard NH 3/4" threads for use with most water source fittings
- Screw the 2 way splitter adapter by hand or wrench with the updated hexagonal top connection. The 360° rotatable swivel connection attaches to any water source.

Buy at Amazon