For 2013

White Cosmos

Even though there is still plenty of winter left, I find myself thinking about the up-coming garden season.

Mostly I'm thinking about some plants, and plant combinations I would like to try this year.

There's really nothing new on my list, most are all plants that I have grown in the past, but for one reason or another I have not enjoyed them for quite some time. Some will be new, and some deserve a re-visit to my garden.

The above picture is of white cosmos. I love the simplicity of thees flowers, they remind me of flowers you would see growing wild in a meadow. Cosmos are light, airy and delicate they look great planted in mass or combined with other annuals such as the white Cleome in the below photo. This to me would be a great pair in a white border or dispersed among perennials maybe under planted with white petunias. They also come in pink and purple shades.

White Cleome

Cleome has always been a favorite of mine, I love the complexity of the flowers. Last year I grew a newer dwarf pink/purple variety called "Senorita" and they were amazing. I plan on using a lot more of them this year along with the white ones.

Daturas

Datura's or Moon Flowers are very toxic and poisiones, but how can I resist the beauties. They come in shades of purples , lavenders and yellows, some are heavily ruffled, doubled and two toned. The white ones are my favorite. Trumpet like flowers that only last a day so dead-heading is a must. The flowers open at night and on overcast days. I want to try theses in a white themed container planting as well as in border plantings

Blue Salvia

Blue Sylvia's have been around for some time now. Ive always admired them in more commercial like plantings usually with something red and white "YIKES" I have grown them before with much success and think this is the year to really work with them. The blue color is almost electric, I'd like to combine these with yellow and orange, such as Marigolds and Celosia.  They would work well with other blues, whites, as well as purples and magenta, and maybe even chartreuse.

Eremurus

Eremurus are bulbs that need to be planted in the fall. I have only come across these beauties a couple of times, usually in a bulb catalogue. These would actually be new for 2014. The white bottle-brush like flower stems rise above the grass like foliage and bloom from the bottom to the top. I've never grown them before, so these will truly be new for me. 

Alliums

Alliums are members of the onion family, these are the more ornamental cousins. I have grown these before, usually the purple varieties with much success. They remind me of Dr. Seuss trees. This year I want to plant the white  variety. Thy are also a bulb that needs to be planted in the fall, so these will be for 2014 too. I probably wont have a mass planting of these like the above photo, but a nice size grouping would be very nice.

Shasta Daises

 I have always loved the Daisy, but have not really grown them. I have always admired them growing in someone else's garden, but never my own. This is my year to try them.

These are just a few of my plans for the 2013 garden, I'm sure there will be other new plants I'll want to try out too.

Now I'm getting excited.