Thursday, April 7, 2011

Color Essay Number 11: Burgundy


The bouquet of carnations in my front hall has got me thinking about the color burgundy and its uses in the garden. (Carnations are so common that you can forget to appreciate them for little beauties they are. Not only are they inexpensive, I find they last forever as a cut flower. I always try to pick a bouquet that have a rich, spicy scent.)

In the garden burgundy is a color that can be found not only in flowers, but leaves and stems as well. Without further delay, let's take a look at great places to find burgundy in the garden. 

In my garden and elsewhere as noted, I hope you will find a few ideas of how to inject a bit of burgundy into your planing schemes.

Burgundy hollyhocks in a neighbor's garden.

Burgundy hollyhocks look pretty mixed in with different shades of pink here in the Lucy 
Maud Montgomery garden in Norval, Ontario.

A daylily from my own garden. Sorry, I am not sure of the variety.

Japanese Blood Grass in the background with the burgundy stems of Heuchera (coral bells)
 in bloom in the foreground. Private garden in  Eramosa Township.

Deep burgundy mix with peachy pink dahlia in this bouquet from the local farmer's market.



"Purple Petticoats"a new Heuchera that I added to the front garden last fall.

I have been trying to resist Barberry because I hate their fine, sharp thorns, but when I see a planting like this, I find my resolve weakening. Lost Horizon's Nursery, Acton, Ontario.


In terms of trees, Japanese Maples are a great way to add a hit of burgundy into an 
expanse of green leaves. Lost Horizon's Nursery, Acton, Ontario.


A final bit of burgundy in my front garden. Mums, which I add to my beds in the fall, help to keep the flowers going into late October.

The dark stems of my Dogwood carry the color burgundy right through the winter. 
This shot is from Canada Blooms.

Have a great weekend!

19 comments:

  1. Love all the different tones of burgundy. I purchased a miniature barberry a couple of years ago and it's a great performer, with only wee thorns. We're supposed to be having a lovely weekend so maybe we'll get to spend some time outdoors, assessing our gardens.

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  2. Hi Jennifer, what great burgundy examples!! I think you are right about carnations, very under appreciated. Yours are quite lovely with the dark veined burgundy color running through it. It almost reminds me of when we would put white carnations in colored water to show kids how the plants take up the water.
    I have a Ninebark, Coppertina, right now the leaves just glisten with flecks of gold/copper. Very cool.

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  3. What a brilliant post! I coincidentally have two carnation flowers of the same shade in the garden at the moment :)

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  4. It's such a rich, deep, color. I have a lobelia cardinalis called 'Ruby Slippers' which is not really ruby red, it's a saturated burgundy, and I love it up close. Thanks for another great color essay.

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  5. So many beautiful plants! I loved hollihocks, and all the garden views you posted. Great photography too.

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  6. Burgundy in the garden? Not an easy task but you pulled it off admirably.

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  7. Gorgeous flowers with gorgeous color. The day lily, hollyhocks and carnations are just stunning but we don't see them here.

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  8. Burgundy fairly tones down the garish colours. Your pictures are gorgeous. I am surprised to see the Japanese Blood Grass comes through the cold Toronto Winters, it doesn't do well in our garden, perhaps they prefer a warmer Summer.

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  9. There is something about burgundy that attract the eyes. I did not realised that there are actually many plants that are burgundy in the garden and the colour help to enhance the garden. My favourite at the moment is our Burgundy okra.

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  10. the pairing of the blood grass and heuchera really caught my eye. and those lovely hollyhocks. Burgundy may very well be my favourite colour essay.

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  11. You have the eye of a true artist.. my favs are the flowers with rain on them, something so beautiful

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  12. What a gorgeous essay on burgundy. It's such a rich color and you've done a fantastic job capturing its beauty in the garden.

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  13. Some beautiful examples of combining Burgundy in the garden. I love burgundy foliage especially but the blooms are a new obsession. :)

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  14. Hi Jennifer,
    Een magnifieke post.
    Schitterende foto's van een grote verscheidenheid aan planten.
    Werkelijk subliem mooi gecomponeerd.
    Fijne zondag, Elly

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  15. I really love all the burgundy foliage. I thought this color essay was incredibly beautiful and striking. Have you ever seen a gooseneck loosestrife called "Beaujolais"? It has deep wine colored flowers. It's on my list of plants that I want for hte spring. But because loosestrife can take over a garden, I'm putting it in a pot.

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  16. To me burgundy is a "bridge" color, being able to tie many others together. Once again your photography is beautiful.

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  17. What a wonderful color choice! And how beautifully you have illustrated it here. I will need to pay more attention to the various colors in my garden...and look for the burgundy.

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  18. Wow so many wonderful photos. I especially love the close-up of your neighbor's burgundy hollyhock, just beautiful.

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  19. Beautiful! I really like the variegated grass with the barberry too. I've got the grass but like you have avoided the barberry because of the thorns. I may have to reconsider!

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