A Prevalence Of Pink

 

Well, our big Entrance Garden color theme for this year will be pink.  Our orange theme seemed very well received and despite how vivid it was, I think we converted those indifferent to that color in to big fans of orange. We will explore pink with a wide range of plants that offer various shades of that color by flower and/or foliage.  This pink theme will be echoed in the terrace garden as well with fun plants like the 'Cora Strawberry' annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus) seen directly above.  Years ago we did a 50/50 combination of pink and chartreuse in these same areas that looked great but I thought should have been more pink.  Well, this year it will be!  However, we'll use little hints of chartreuse, maroon and blue to break up the pink but the entire collection will certainly have some visual impact.  Below are just some of the many plants (or types of plants) that we're gathering for this fun display.  We'll have a focus on annuals and will include grasses and other foliage plants for interest as well.  Other color themes out in the gardens include red along the larch wall border and heavy blues in the reception garden which is traditional. 

 

globe amaranth (Gomphrena haageana 'Forest Pink')

flowering tobacco (Nicotiana hybrida 'Starmaker Pink Picotee')

'Magellan Coral' zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

'Supertunia Vista Bubblegum' petunia (Petunia)

'Pink Chaos' coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides)

'Sparkler Blush' spider flower (Cleome hybrida)

'Pink Lipstick' Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris)

'Brazilian Red Hots' copperleaf (Alternanthera dentata)

'Intenz' wheat celosia (Celosia hybrida)



It was another busy day around the Horticulture Center.  The raised bed above was brought in by Larry and Terry along with another, similar planter.  We'll have these over at the Parker Education Center as part of the layout for the RBG Garden for Good Spring Symposium on March 22nd which has a strong horticulture therapy focus.  Pat was out in the gardens bringing in more displays from the Holiday Lights Show (HLS).  He continues to retrieve what is unfrozen and accessible and we hope to get everything back in from the HLS over the next three weeks for proper storage.  Below are Terry and Larry bringing back one of the entrance garden pyramids which will soon be converted to pink for the collection mentioned above.  This structure (one of three) also served double duty in the HLS as it was decorated with lights.  Dave, Vern, Jim and Ron Y. continued working on their various carpentry projects (of which there is no shortage).  Gene processed some windows for painting and is putting sealer on some new carpentry items.  Gary S. fired up the laser engraver and produced new labels for some of our incoming 2014 perennials.  Bill O. came in to help Larry this afternoon and Kay came in for another day of working on plant labels (for our seeds and for the Spring Plant Sale).  Janice came in to work on myriad projects in the afternoon.  We also saw Chuck S., Ron W., Big John, Mary Kay and many others.  The last photo down shows one of our newly re-purposed and repainted doors for use out in the gardens.  I still need three more.....