Black and White Garden #1: Springs a comin!

hahah I love it!!!! “what in the world is that”.

My backyard, last year, seemed to end up to be purple and yellow, so I like your idea of the colour theme.
Now you can either plant things to keep it black and white all year OR that it transforms into different colour combinations as the season progresses! (I have no idea how you do it, though.. just an idea).

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Great idea!

I have always loved a purple and orange garden … great contrast.

What you might do is order some of the free catalogues listed in the other blog; go through them for ideas on black and white plants since you have a bit of time before actual planting.

Be sure to take pictures!!!!!!!

White Ideas … there are white dahlias, white Petunias, white Phlox, white Daisies, white Pansies, white Daylillies, white Impatients, white Bleeding Hearts, Anemone ‘Andrea Atkinson’ which are white pedal flowers

Black Ideas … daylillies (more of a deep, deep purple that looks black), Colocasia “Black Magic” – purple black elephant ear leaves; Ipomoea Sweet Caroline Sweet Heart Purple … looks black – Ornamental Sweet Potato used as ground cover

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

Well I just got back inside. I’ve finished phase 1, if you will, I dug a circle flower bed around my baby apple tree. I made a nice little design if I do say so myself. I split the circle into three differen’t areas using my asian jasmine. Then in each section I planted 12 black tulips, 12 white tulips, 6 white tulips that look like scoops of ice cream *i don’t know the name of them, 1 white calla lilly, and 3 white hysinths. I’m leaving it alone until closer to spring, right now it is small, we plan on building our privacy fence in march so I don’t want to branch out to much and then have it tramped on building the fence. But with all the ideas I’ve gotten I do plan on branching it out more. I’m really excited about this. My mom has been talking to me about the idea of having seperate “rooms” in your yard. Basically different gardens through out the yard, a common theme to keep the chaos at bay, but each one being unique in its own right. Have any of you tried this concept. Is it really a concept or more or less the “way” of gardening. See, I have the attention span of a pin ball machine, so I see something pretty buy it, and plant it in the ground. Then weeks later I see an idea and say oh man I should have done that. So i’m trying to be more uniform (while still keeping my fun appeal) in my gardening. I’m still only about 3 or 4 years new at this. Just wait until I start my veggies, then I’m sure my questions will come rolling in. I just love this site though. If not for it I’m sure I wouldn’t have gotten my butt out there and done what I did today. So thanks guys!

Sounds great, erin! GrandmaT has some excellent ideas for different species, but keep in mind that these babies pop at different times of the year. The tulips will bloom early in the season, and the jasmines don’t commonly bloom at all, depending on where you live. Phlox is great for some mid-summer color. Also, keep in mind that some (not all) black blooms like shade.

Say, what zone are you in?

One other consideration about your apple tree…if it’s brand new, you’ll want to give it every fighting chance. Make sure the bulbs don’t steal too many nutrients out of the soil around the tree (nice liquid fertilizer in the growing season every few weeks should do it).

Best of luck in planning out your gardens! We are hooked on pictures here, so be sure to post some when you can!

-- Living on the square...Metro Detroit

I should have checked your “home site” and noted you were in Texas. How wonderful that you can actually plant NOW. Take some pictures for us here in the northern states!!

There are so many wonderful flower bed design ideas … I have definitely heard of your mom’s idea. I am in to more of a cottage look with a bit of definition …

There is no right or wrong way to flower landscaping. Really boils down to your taste. That is what makes gardening so awesome.

Just have fun …

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

I’m in zone 7. I’ve been working in short sleeves all day. it started to get cooler about an hour ago, just finished cover the bed with some leaves. Thank God I have a pecan tree to supply it or I’d have a lot of dead beds next year. I have the bed about 2 1/2 feet from the tree, in a tight ring. I’m planning on using some rocks we’ve dug up since we started all this digging last year for the border of the bed. but I’ll save that for tomorrow.

how elegant – what a great idea.

-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.