I want to make part of my yard a little memorial garden for my late cats. One was white, one was a tuxedo. Does anyone have suggestions for perennials with white and black-and-white flowers that are relatively easy to grow? (I have no idea what I'll do for the silver tabby, but she's doing pretty well for now). I know that plants don't produce true black, I'm okay with that.
I was considering a large white crocus and some black and white tulips for the spring, but want something that will bloom later in the spring/summer as well.
I have seen the white black eyed susan (Thunbergia alata) but it might be too cold for them here (Pittsburgh, PA) and they may be invasive. I have done well with coneflowers in my front yard and previous homeowner let crocus take over the back yard, so it does well there.
In early spring Adonis amurensis graces the cool glasshouse. This spring ephemeral is an herbaceous perennial from mountainous grassland meadows and forest edges in alpine and subalpine zones in China, Japan, Korea, and eastern Siberia. The plant requires moist, rich soils and a lightly shaded location.
I love the wizening beauty of our backyard gardens in autumn. The relaxed mess of fading flowers and wild weeds. The blast of color from September blooms. The cherry tomatoes are still popping and ripening. The potted marigolds are top heavy, and the pansies are still gorgeous. As the autumn leaves mix with fallen begonia petals in the still green grass, I lay a wreath of spent sunflowers around the birdbath. “To everything there is a season…”
In autumn Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii (Chinese lantern) produce orange-scarlet berries enclosed by papery, red lanterns. The plants thrive in a well-drained soil, they can be difficult to establish but can also be considered invasive. A new cultivar I recently saw at a plant sale was Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii ‘Monstrosum’ with fruits that have been transformed into bizarre, contorted orange chilli-like structures.
Hey I wrote & directed & animated a 17min VR animation short! It's called Perennials and it's premiering at Venice Film Festival next week!
I should probably make like...a good and pretty post about that at some point, but for now I just wanted to share it because I'm really stoked, and in case people have been wondering what I've been up to these past 2 years.