A very kind friend shared a beautiful magazine called "Birds and Blooms" with me. It's a lovely magazine that features all kinds of information on "beauty in your own backyard." As I pored over the pages, bursting with stunning photos, I found an article that I wanted to tell you about. It was an article about orange blooms.
Think about that for a moment. We plant all kinds of things, don't we, with certain "themes": herb gardens, vegetable gardens, edible flower gardens, rose gardens, rock gardens, perennial gardens why not an orange garden? From time to time I may have chosen plants with certain colors that complement or contrast each other, but I don't think that I have ever made all my plant choices by focusing on just one color, have you? The idea intrigued me, so while we are watching the last hurrah of this year's garden, we can start to think ahead to next year, and maybe we'll decide we want to try a color garden!
So let me tell you about the plants that were listed as good "orange" choices, and maybe you and I can think of a couple more. In no particular order, the orange blooms that were suggested were gazania, a tough little plant that can take heat and dry conditions; fritillaria, crown imperial, one of those elegant plants that looks very unusual as a "statement" plant; red hot pokers, a good plant to attract hummingbirds, maybe not the most suited to our zone, but worth a try in a sheltered location; oriental poppy, so beautiful with their crepe-paper-look flowers bobbing in the breeze; zinnia, a wonderful choice because they are so easy to grow, and we can cut them to enjoy in the house, too.
Mexican sunflower was listed, saying that this little beauty also attracts butterflies; yarrow, a good plant for our climate, in a cultivar called "Terra Cotta"; calibachoa, better to known to us as part of the million bells family, makes a great addition to planters, especially if we choose the "Tangerine Punch" cultivar, bright and bold in a color that reminded me of the orange popsicles Mom used to make when I was little. The tiger lily was another choice, a prairie favorite, but also very attractive to bees and butterflies; and echinacea "Tiki Torch", a beautiful coneflower in a stunning sunrise orange color.
What other choices would work for us? I'd pick marigolds, either the shorter "Janie" varieties, or the fluffy, flamboyant "Inca" if you want a little more height in your flower bed. Years ago Mom and I grew a taller variety of cosmos, and while the name escapes me, the impact of these tall, bushy plants, lit with blooms bright as orange firecrackers does not. I'd also choose celosia, with brilliant plumes that are more golden than orange, but ours have been blooming gloriously all summer in a little 10" pot. They'd be perfect if your garden was contained on a balcony or deck. Several varieties of roses come in the peachy-orange shades, like "Morden Sunrise", one of my all-time favorites. I'm sure you can think of some "orange" plants that you and I could try! That would be a fun way to plant our gardens!
There's a busy week in September for the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society: on the 21st, John Senkiw will speak at our regular meeting (7 p.m. at SIGN on North Street) about backyard birding; and then on the 23rd, it's our Fall Plant and Bulb Sale at the Parkland Mall, Yorkton. You know what I always say: come early!
There, "orange" you glad we had this little visit? I know, it's an old joke but it had to be said! Have a great week, and savour every moment you can in the garden!
