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A Color Journal In Rainbow ShadesRebecca at prefer to be In The Garden has invited us to take part in a Rainbow Challenge, displaying photos from our gardens that make up the colors of the rainbow. I have been inspired this year by many of you, and by a book titled Fearless Color Gardens by Keeyla Meadows, to begin a color journal. This is a great opportunity to dive right in. I am passionate about color, and will be exploring each color and the feelings or moods they evoke, as color can set the mood, feel, or tone of our entire garden, or an area of our garden. I would love it if you would join me in my exploration of each color, and perhaps find peace with a color you dislike. For the past couple of years, I have been working at making peace with the color red, and have been successful to some extent – I planted some things last year such as Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ and Papaver orientale ‘Beauty of Livermere’ both of which have deep, blood red blooms. I look forward to exploring my hesitation with this color, as well as its attributes.  Red Raspberries  Red buds of Symphytum x uplandicum  Orange Aurelian hybrid lily 'Elise'  Orange salamander  Yellow Aquilegia x hybrida 'McKana's Giant'  Yellow Orienpet lily 'Conca d' Or'  Bright green leaves of Spirea 'Goldflame'  Handsome green frog  Lovely blue leaves of Hosta 'Love Pat'  Geranium 'Johnson's Blue'  Indigo... a lovely cross between blue and violet  Indigo Iris  Violet blooms of Allium 'Purple Sensation'  Violet splashed leaves of Persicaria microcephala 'Red Dragon' 38 comments to A Color Journal In Rainbow Shades |
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I think this is such a lovely idea Liisa! Beautiful selection of blooms and critters to mirror the seven colors of a rainbow. I think all colors can work in a garden, when placed in a cool/shady or hot/sunny place… they can be toned down or heated up. Colors too change when placed next to certain colors … it is a palette to play with. Red next to green as seen in your beautiful raspberry photo becomes cooler but place it next to yellow and it will flare up… more vibrant… and hot. So many ranges for all to enjoy. ;>)
I envy you the frog and the salamander, the most. I miss seeing them, they were abounding when I was a child, and now they are rare.
What great colors of the rainbow your garden has.
Jen
I’m speechless (for once lol), what a stunning post with gorgeous pictures. I like your term ‘find peace with a colour you dislike’, this would certainly be the case with red for me as well. I plan to add a King of the Blacks Dianthus this year, the black buds open to red carnations on blue tinged foliage. It is a nice addition to a garden, but never appeals to me when out shopping. Lovely collection of photos, the orange salamander is adorable and the lilac is gorgeous, is it a President Grevy by any chance? Thank you so much for contributing to my challenge, I really appreciate it!
~Rebecca
PS. I’ll be sure to add your wonderful post to my list of participants.
What a beautiful rainbow. I had to look the second one up it’s so pretty, looks like it would grow here for me. The iris looks just like one my sister gave me, I love the soft lavender color of it.
Gorgeous rainbow array!! Super lovely shots! I love the salamander too..so sweet! Wonderful uplifting post!
Kiki~
Thank you Kiki, I enjoyed putting this together. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Catherine,
The Russian Comfrey is one of my favorites, too. It can be staked or hooped for a neater effect, though I like mine intertwined with it’s neighbors. It is not weedy like the common herb, but is nearly indestructible.
Rebecca,
Unfortunately, the lilac shall remain unnamed. We planted a few lilacs shortly after we moved in, and I have never been able to find the tags. Thank you so much for giving me the inspiration for this post. It was great fun putting it together.
Jen,
I am hoping that once my meadow has been planted I will see more of the critters that now make an occasional appearance. I can usually find one or two salamanders after a good rain, but this particular day I counted over a dozen of them in our driveway.
Carol,
I agree, all colors can certainly work in a garden… and it is great fun experimenting with different combinations. I enjoy playing off of one color, and adding different tones and contrasts. As you mentioned, I find it amazing how one color can vary so much depending on the colors surrounding it. So many possibilities.
Beautiful rainbow post. I especially like the orange salamander.
‘Make peace with a color you dislike…’ It worked!
I have never been a fan of Spirea ‘Goldflame’ but your lovely photo has changed my mind. 
This is a great idea. I’d love to give this a shot. Fun post!
Your orange salamander is something special. The ones I see here in WI are black with blue dots.
Why am I not surprised that a plant with the name ‘Lucifer’ has a deep blood red bloom? Red has never been my favorite in the garden, but my husband likes to see it and so some red we now enjoy and it’s growing on me.
donna
Hi Liisa, I love that you included fauna with the flora for your rainbow! While all the flowers are wonderful, the lilies completely took my breath away. Love them.
Frances
The Orienpet lily ‘Conca d’ Or’ is stunning. However, your charming little salamander has won me over
Gorgeous post!
Ms. S,
Thank you so much for visiting. ‘Conca d’ Or’ is one of my favorites, too! And I do so enjoy the company of these colorful little salamanders, critters I had never been able to enjoy until moving east.
Frances,
I believe I could have an entire garden made up of lilies. I just fell in love with your ‘Lady Alice’. A garden just wouldn’t be complete without the fauna, and I enjoy the colorful leaves just as much as the flowers.
Donna,
I have never seen the salamander clothed in black and blue. Funny how I am finding more and more gardeners who have trouble with the color red. I thought something was wrong with me. I am thankful we can learn to appreciate it’s fiery charm.
Kate,
I was never really a fan of Spirea until I was introduced to ‘Goldflame’. I couldn’t resist it’s 3 season charm, as it starts off spring with rusty, cinnamon red leaves, which then turn chartreuse. In fall, the fireworks begin as the foliage takes on a rich pumpkin orange. Yum!
Sweet Bay,
Thank you so much for visiting! It seems you are in good company by your delight in the orange salamander. After a good rain it is important to watch one’s step as they are pretty slow movers.
I love how you used things other then plants to represent some of the colors of the rainbow, but my favorite is using the bright, vibrant color of berries.
What wonderful reminders that winter will end. Love your rainbow of wonderful photos. I love that yellow columbine! I love them all. Every last color of winter being over! Thanks for the pick me up.
Lovely parade of color to compliment the rainbow post, Liisa. Your ‘Johnson’s Blue’ (a favorite in my garden) photo is one of the finest I’ve ever seen!
What a great idea – your photos illustrating the rainbow are just lovely. I like your idea of making peace with a color. For me that color is orange! Today I’m gardening in an orange teeshirt actually – a gift from my lovely daughter and son in law. So I guess I’ve started making my peace with this color already.
Country Mouse,
Thank you so much for visiting. For many years, I never cared for the color orange, but I have recently grown to love it. It appeals to me best when placed near yellow and purple. It sounds like you are making progress in your relationship with this color… for me it helped to begin by thinking of things that I love that were the color (red) I found repelling. Such as raspberries, poppies, and strawberries… though I do still struggle with this color a bit.
Joey,
‘Johnson’s Blue’ is one of my favorites, too. I recently saw it paired with Campanula takesimana ‘Elizabeth’ – a match made in heaven. Thank you so much for visiting, and hope to see you here again, soon!
Teresa,
I am so glad you enjoyed my rainbow. This was fun to put together, searching through images of plants that have been blanketed by snow for too long now. Ah… spring is coming!!
Noelle,
I take great delight in these raspberries that I planted a couple years ago. Early in the morning I go out to collect them – and the bushes seem to be bursting with color. Often times there are not very many that make it back into the house, as I devour them too quickly.
You have such lovely close up photos. The salamander is too cool, never saw one of those.
Hi Liisa, just wanted to let you know that I have a Thank You for participating post on my blog.
Rebecca
I have another book by Keela Meadows called “Making gardens works of art” that I just love. I’ll have to check into this new one. As for colors in the garden, being an artist, my problem is try to organize all the colors I like so it doesn’t end up looking like a mish mash. But I’m happy to hear that your are trying to make peace with red, a really wonderful color, especially on an Oriental Poppy.
Helen,
I will have to check out “Making gardens works of art” by Keeyla Meadows. She is so creative, and full of inspiration. I too am working at organizing my color in the garden – but more so in the sense that I tend to plant one of this and one of that. I am happy to report that I think I have been successful in making peace with red. I was shopping for a pair of Wellies just the other day, and OH! they had a bright red pair that I just fell in love with!
I followed a link from Jodi, at http://bloomingwriter.blogspot.com/ to find your wonderful blog. What beautiful photos–love the plants, but what a surprise to see an orange salamander! What a cutie! Thanks for sharing both plant and critter pix!
Aerie-el,
Welcome, and thank you so much for visiting! I so enjoy these orange salamanders during the spring and summer months. It is great fun trying to spot them after a rain shower. I am glad you enjoyed the photos.
Liisa,
I came here via Frances. You have some pretty nice photos. The orange salamander is actually an Red Eft, they live in ponds and streams as Eastern Red-spotted Newts then become terrestrial and are called Red Efts see http://rlephoto.blogspot.com/search?q=Red+Eft these are very special to see on land. The aquatic Eastern Newt is quite common to see.
Randy,
Thank you so much for identifying my Red Eft. The conditions around our property must be something they really like, because they are frequently spotted here. I recall one day after a good rain, there must have been a dozen of them in our driveway! Thank you for visiting!
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