Killer Combos Rock the Garden

A daring client went along with my idea of creating striking contrasts with the silver century plant (Agave americana) and purple heart (Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart'). It's a traffic stopper.

Santa Barbara's premiere botanical park is Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, in the center of downtown. Mexican marigold (Tagetes lemmonii) was front and center while fall foliage from a grove of sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) softened the background.

Seaside Gardens is a local nursery with a number of demonstration gardens. This bold combination of smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria) and golden tansy (Tanacetum vulgare 'Isla Gold') make a great pair.

I caught this alignment while walking my dog around the block.  I like using the tint and the tone of the same color, in this case red turning to burgundy and pink. Looks like someone else liked it, too.

I designed this planting around a small pond at the Goleta Water District's offices. Everything is vertical, but the boldness of the pink Canna erebus and the wispy stems of the society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) create the needed contrast to make it interesting.

I caught this shot at the Santa Barbara mission. The plant in the back is Mexican Grass Tree (Dasylirion longissima) is playing happily with Euphorbia resinosa. I like the ghostly light surface of the foreground and stubby forms, contrasting with the fireworks of the background.

Don't ask me to trim the delicate licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight') out from the variegate agave, but I'm safe taking a photo. Highly different forms, but the gold strip of the agave mimics the foliage of the licorice.

This is a combo i experimented with at the base of a small fountain. Pink and pink, for sure. But the plant forms make the composition interesting. Foreground: Cranesbill (Erodium chamaedryoides); background: Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima).