A Perfect Pair

Sun shines beautifully through Japanese Blood grass. The illuminated red magically highlights the contrasting blue of annual Salvia. The opposing shapes also strengthen the marriage of these two plants; one sharp-tongued and firey, the other soft, fluffy and soothingly rounded. Opposites do attract.

Many of my plant pairings are accidents. This is one such case. The perrenial originally planted where the annual salvia now grows died. I was hurrying to get my patio garden "up to snuff" for my mother's 75th birthday since it was front and center in the party space. The blue and red decorations must have influenced my plant choice, although I was unaware of it. I chose blue annual salvia to fill the gaping hole. When I got home and planted it next to the blood grass, I knew I had another perfect pair. Never in my life have I been so coordinated with garden plants matching party decorations. Who knew!

Note: Japanese Blood Grass is considered invasive. I have a small clump that I don't allow to expand. If you own this plant, pull any thin green off-shoots.

A Little Western Flair

I used to live out West. One of my favorite things to gaze at while walking the streets of San Francisco was the beautiful bouganvillea. This warm weather climber graced the walls of many dwellings. The bold fuschias, purples and reds of the flowers fixed any blues my brain cooked up.

I haven't lived in California for years, and I miss this bright-hued baby. So I brought a little of the left coast to my house in CT. While I can't have it climb my walls all year, I can train it up a potted trellis and bring it inside for the winter months. The blooms stay dormant for most of the plant's indoor confinement. But, when warm weather returns to CT, my bougainvillea bursts with blooms and reminds me of my nightly strolls in the city of victorian painted ladies. Is it possible to feel a little home sick when you're at home?