Hi GPODers!
It is easy to plan for one peak of color during the growing season, but achieving a succession of beautiful blooms that are cohesive and continuous takes a bit more planning and practice. One gardener who has undoubtably mastered the art of continuous color is Heidi Weirether in Redding, Connecticut. Heidi has shared her flower-filled garden several times since she first submitted in 2024 (Check out her previous submissions: Heidi’s Colorful Garden in Fairfield County, Heidi’s Flowers in Connecticut, Peak Season in Heidi’s Connecticut Garden, More of Heidi’s Fabulous Flowers in Connecticut, and more), and the photos we’re looking at today are just more examples of the endless stream of color that fills her landscape during the growing season.
I wanted to share these photos of my garden with you, capturing how much it has changed over just a few short days. I’ve attached pictures taken between May 30 and June 4, and it has been incredible to watch the color palette shift in real time.
When the period began, the garden was dominated by the cool, serene blue of the lupines. However, as you’ll see in the progression, the landscape has since transformed into a much more vibrant display. The space is now filled with a mix of warm and cool tones, thanks to the blooming of the poppies, peonies, columbines, foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea, Zones 4–9), geraniums, and irises.
It’s always a highlight of the season for me to see how quickly the garden shifts from one mood to the next. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed watching the transition happen!
Happy Gardening!
Heidi’s borders are a feast of colors and textures. As she mentions in her intro, spires of blue lupines and some bright purple Siberian iris (Iris sibirica, Zones 3–9) lend to a predominately cool color scheme at the end of May, but some bright red poppies (Papaver orientale, Zones 3–7) and pink peonies signal the impending color shift.
As the lupines start to fade, pink foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea, Zones 3–9) begin making their grand appearance. Some blue irises keep the color palette balanced, but we can already see the border transform with warmer hues.
Once the color starts in Heidi’s garden, it doesn’t stop until the growing season has completely concluded. Her diverse array of flowers not only provides an interesting mix of colors and textures, but also ensures a continuous succession of vibrant blooms.
In less than a week, Heidi’s gardens have transformed and she has enjoyed a multitude of combinations and colors.
One of those combinations was the pretty pink pairing of foxgloves with ‘Bowl of Beauty’ peonies (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Bowl of Beauty’, Zones 3–8).
A cooler color combination of Siberian iris and lupines.
Mixed amongst all of these brighter blooms are plants that helps bridge the gap between bright pink and cool blue hues. This dusty pink columbine, which looks to be the cultivar ‘Winky Pink’ (Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Winky Pink’, Zones 4–8), can look more pink or more purple depending on the plants that surround it.
Another plant that is bridging the gap is the light purple Siberian iris at the top of this vignette. The pinky-purple shade is so perfectly complimentary that it actually looks like someone managed to mix the bright pink peonies with the deeper purple irises below.
One last photo shows more columbine pairing wonderfully with a lupine.
Thank you so much for sharing another slice of your vibrant flower garden with us, Heidi! We’ve seen a decent amount of the color you cultivate in your beds and borders, but I was still amazed by the changes you documented during in this short May to June transition.
How does your garden evolve from early spring blooms to the frenzy of color that arrives closer to summer? Whether over the course of a week or a month, we would love to see your succession of blooms and color palette changes. Follow the directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!
We want to see YOUR garden!
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, fill out the Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form.
You can also 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.
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
ARS Telescoping Long Reach Pruner
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Telescopes from 4 to 7′. Cut and Hold (160) Blades. Drop forged blades for unsurpassed long lasting sharpness. Lightweight, 2.3 lbs., for continued use. Perfectly balanced for easy pruning.
Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs.
