The Upper Garden: In the Pink

The Upper Garden has much high shade. End of March, it turns pink from azaleas. The rest of spring and summer, think pink. All the hydrangeas are blue because the soil is acid. I like blue hydrangeas so I do not attempt to change their color. On the outside of the Oval Lawn in the Upper garden a border of Salmon Sheen daylilies offers orange contrast to hydrangea blue. At the ends, on the north side and on the inside, pinks are the main colors starting with Spiraea bulmalda on each side of the entrance. Buffy and I transplanted echinacea to the north side this afternoon and planted out some rooted pink begonias.

The Cycad finally has new growth after winter damage.

It seems an eternity until the center cone grows into fronds.

The rest of the Upper Garden flows through orange to red in some of the beds as you move west. Parts of the Upper Garden are devoted to flowers that butterflies love. Pink pentas and Echinacea are on the east end.

Look closely. There are two little dusky butterflies nectaring.

At the west end, reds and purples attract butterflies too. I forget how it was that the middle turned orange, but Tithonia and cannas are featured.

Flowers and text are from the garden of Nell Jean at www.dottypants.blogspot.com in the hot, humid depths of Southwest Georgia where Gardenia fragrance floats on the breeze and Butterflies have commenced to visit in 2s and 3s instead of singly. Join us in a glass of dark Ruby Tea with plenty of ice.