Melinda’s Garden: Giving Your Garden A Pop Of Color

Plan For A Colorful Garden While You Wait For Boring White Snow To Melt

The storm is behind us and the sun will shine this weekend, bringing rays of hope for gardeners throughout the valley that we will be able to start planting eventually.

So take the time until then to prepare a garden that pops with color. Melinda Meyers is back for another year of Melinda’s Garden Moments.

The colorful and uniquely shaped leaves of coleus have made it a favorite of gardeners for several centuries.

But recent introduction have helped move it out of containers and the shade and into sunny borders.

Here at Boerner Botanical Gardens they created several gardens featuring a few sun loving varieties.

This large oval garden features Flamethrower Habanero coleus. The red profusion zinnia and cannas blend nicely with Habanero’s orange-red leaves while the chartreuse sweet potato vine provides eye-catching contrast.

Use different plants but repeated color and texture to provide overall unity.

French Quarter coleus is combined with purple salvia and dahlias connect it to the larger oval garden.

Another nearby bed features Flamethrower Spiced Curry. The chartreuse in its leaves echo the sweet potato vine in the main garden. The red zinnias and white salvia are repeated to further unite the beds.

Check out www.melindamyers.com for this and other gardening tips.