Garden Update: Purples, Whites, Yellows and Magenta

Each day brings subtle and vibrant changes in the garden. This week shifted the purple spotlight from chives, sage, irises, and giant alliums to salvia and clematis. The backyard garden’s gone a bit nuts in its abundance:

That trough bed is overstuffed but looks like it will produce well. I’ve got a dwarf tomato plant, basil, two different types of amaranth, purple mustard, radishes, carrots, peppers, zucchini, some unknown squash, sugar snap peas, yard long beans, cucumbers, sunflowers, various greens, radish, nasturtium, celery, zinnias and soybeans in there. I’m sure I’ve forgotten something. Some of these are nearing the end of their lives, while I succession sowed other seeds that are just tiny sprouts right now.

The lilies, echinacea and hyssop next to the trough will flower when summer gets going. Right now, dianthus and clematis wow with pops of color amidst the edibles:

For once, I’m glad to have part of the garden tucked behind the shed. I goofed! I bought plant starts for personal sized butternut squash, and for some reason, I thought the plants would also be “personal sized.” Joke’s on me: those squash plants are on the move! It doesn’t look good, but you can only see when you get close. I added makeshift trellis extenders to catch the vines trying to spread all over the lawn. In another week or so, that crate and those extenders will be covered in green.

Behind the first bed, you can see the white trellis has not gotten any sweet potato vine action. They’re not too happy back there, but the garlic, mustard, sunflowers, and lettuce are thriving. I keep telling those sweet potatoes, “Hey, if you grow UP, you’ll get more light. Stretch, baby, stretch. You can DO it!” But so far they haven’t. We’re supposed to have some 97(!) degree days soon. Maybe those sweet potatoes will console me for all the lettuce that wants to bolt.

Up front, I’m loving pops of white throughout the garden. These don’t show up well in photographs, but the arugula flowers, spirea blossoms, and chamomile make me so happy! The daisies give an idea of how bright the whites can get. I think these look like sunny side up eggs:

The “yolks” should match the lilies behind them once they bloom. The chamomile showed up a little against the evergreen and salvia. I’m not sure the mini evergreen to the left is supposed to be that color, but it complements the yellow centers.

The sedum surprised me with so many yellow blooms this year. Here you see it in front of button flower that echoes the form and color of flowering chives:

In addition to purples, bright whites and yellows, magenta yarrow and dianthus add so much vibrance to the front yard:

I have multiples of most plants because the eye likes to dance around the garden, seeking repeated colors and forms. It’s hard to choose which shots to share, but these bring a little of my garden to you. I hope some of the joy and relaxation transfer. If you were local, I’d give you lettuce, but virtual visitors get flowers. 🙂