Mini Plants, Color Combos, and Deep Purple. . .

The front section of my garden faces the street, and I've made a mini-rock garden that mixes both small growing alpine plants with taller varieties.  Some of my favorite low growing perennials are: Armeria (Sea Pinks--love!!), Dianthus (any variety, but I'm particularly fond of the red 'Flashing Lights'), Cerastium (Snow in Summer--one of the most dependable plants up here), Arabis (Rock Cress-I have both a purple and white variety in my garden), Aurinia (Basket of Gold--nice early bloomer), and Sisyrinchium (Blue-eyed Grass).  All of these have been dependable survivors up here, blooming consistently every year. 

Double Pink Dianthus

Sisyrinchium-Blue Eyed Grass

Sea Pinks, Blue Avena grass, light yellow pansies

Color Combos:  Here are some notable color combos that I like:

Blue Geranium, Red Dianthus, Cerastium

'Moonshine' Yarrow, Blue Salvia, Red Dianthus

Denver Botanic Gardens-Golden Rod and Lavender

I don't think I need to explain why I like them. . . I just do.  Top 2 photos taken in Crested Butte, bottom one from Denver.  I have seen Goldenrod sold in the nurseries up here, but can't say I've ever worked with it.  I've just never seen it with these yellow plumes in the nursery, but after seeing it at DBG, I'm tempted to try it!  Lavender occasionally will come back up here, but don't hold your breath;  better off just considering it an annual.  But the purple and yellow is a nice combo.  Could also go with a 'Six Hills Giant' Nepeta (super dependable up here), next to a yellow flag iris. . .
I'm currently in total awe of my Golden Hops vine.  I know, I know, I've mentioned it in some previous posts, but I just can't get over how well it's doing this year and how it's highlighting the plants in front of it.  On one side of the fence, I have a pink yarrow growing in front of it:

 And on the other side, I moved my painted daisies in front of them, because I thought they needed more sun. . . There is something about that lime green foliage that makes the pinks POP!  I have an Echinops that should bloom in the next couple weeks, and I'm anxious to see what the blue blooms look like with it. 

Photo off Melissa's Iphone. . .

Deep Purple: Bearded Iris are another one of my favorite perennials.  Their tall thin spikes of leaves add such a great architectural element to the garden.  And good thing their shape is so interesting, because they may or may not bloom.  I have 4 bearded Iris clumped together; last year only one bloomed that was white with blue edges:

The Iris cometh. . . (Iphone photo. . . sorry.)

This year, another one of the four (but only one, and not the same one as last year) has sent up a bloom stalk.  The bud of this year's was almost black, and I was thinking to myself "Did I buy a black Iris??"--I vaguely remember cruising the aisle at the nursery and in a moment of Goth inspiration thought a black Iris would be cool.  It finally unfurled to an incredible Deep Purple:

Just like most rock stars, this beauty is in touch with it's dark side and it's attraction lies in it's complexity, not it's simplicity. . . .