Texture in the Garden

Donna of Garden Walk, Garden Talk has started a regular Word for Wednesday linking party, which is an "exploration of words through pictures, where a word relates to the story in photos." This week Donna has suggested a pairing of two words: "texture and pattern."

I found this week's theme challenging, not because it was a difficult pair of words to define in pictures, but rather because it was way too easy. I simply had too many images! In the end, I decided to divide Donna's theme over two posts. Today, I will focus in on texture.

Texture can be defined as the tactile quality of a surface. 

Textures can vary widely. They can be soft, like the fuzz of a ripe summer peach.

They can be slippery and smooth, like the surface of an icicle in winter.

And they can also be sharp and foreboding, like these frost "thorns" on a branch in the winter.

The garden of Heather Bradley, Mississauga Ontario

In the garden, texture appeals as much to our eyes, as to our sense of touch.

Garden textures have many close friends. Repetition is one of them. A repeated planting is textural.

The green surface of a pond at Lost Horizon Nursery, Acton Ontario

Private garden, Burlington, Ontario

Shape and pattern are also texture's best friends. Here, the repeated shape of these lily pads and their random pattern on the surface of the water is textural.

The soft petals of this spring Ranunculus has the delicate texture of a taffeta party dress. 

Soft textures invite us to touch them. Fine, delicate and smooth are a few of the adjectives we most commonly use to describe soft textures.

The delicate beauty of Annual Fountain Grass in a Brampton Public Park

Perennial Fountain Grass, Brampton Public Park

Soft textured wreaths in a local nursery.

Sea Holly, Larkwhistle Garden on the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario.

Soft pink astilbe in the Spargette's private garden in Brampton, Ontario. (I wish my Astilbe looked this good! Astible likes to be kept fairly moist. It also prefers morning sun and afternoon shade. Mine gets too much shade and not enough water.) 

The texture of fall grasses can be both soft and feathery. Colin Gosden's garden, Mississauga, Ontario.

Bed and Breakfast Inn in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

In a garden setting, stone textures can be ever bit as aesthetically pleasing as soft textured surfaces.

Private Garden, Markdale Ontario.

Coarse textures like stone and weathered wood may be rough and unyielding, but still have uses in the garden.

Soft petalled blooms look even more delicate when contrasted with the rugged, weather-beaten surface of stone.

Lily of the Valley, Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton Ontario.

Cupid's Dart in amongst stones and pebbles in Colin Gosden's garden, Mississauga, Ontario.

Finally, leaves can have textural surfaces all of their own.

New to my garden this summer is Calamintha, Calamintha grandiflora variegata.

Heuchera in the Spargette's private garden in Brampton, Ontario

Heuchera ' Midas Touch', Humber Nursery, Toronto, Ontario. 

Fall hosta in my own garden.

Niagara Botanical Gardens, Niagara Ontario.

In the garden, texture works so closely with its best friends, color, shape, pattern and repetition that it almost becomes indistinguishable. 

But trust me, texture is right in there, quietly performing its magic.

If you are brave enough to endure another picture marathon, I'll put my take on "Pattern" up on Friday.