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Inspiration! What could be more inspiring than the first truly wonderful warm sunny long weekend of the year? It's not quite summer, it's definitely spring, the weather promises to be drop-dead gorgeous, and the garden centre store-owners are rubbing their hands together in glee in anticipation of the flood of customers beating a path through their doors this weekend.
(Shop your local garden-centers, folks. Unless your Big Box store is buying locally. Not only does it help your own economy - the plants have a better chance of surviving. And the drive to the countryside will be lovely!)
Anyhoo - you may remember that I celebrate the annual blooming of my truly delightful tree peony here in this blog every year. This plant is just getting better and better. The first fat pink bud erupted in a frothy bloom on Monday, May 14, like a dancer's crinolines, both huge and delicate. Eleven blossoms - the size of serving platters - now drip from it's stems. This plant is amazing! I may dig up everything else in the garden and grow nothing but tree peonies!
So let's go for a virtual stroll through the garden and look for some beady inspiration!
Isn't this stunning? Think Rose Alabaster and Deep Rose Swarovskis with Gold or Brass findings.
This is my second tree peony - it is a few days behind the other - the location gets less full sun and so the buds aren't quite open yet. A baker's dozen of these beauties are about to spring forth! A tough colour to match - there are reds and purples here - the overall effect is burgundy, but when you look closely - you can see a lot going on here.
The one single bloom on the Rhododendron is lovely - but this plant is soooo not happy. Not sure it will make it through next winter. Don't those dark spots just make the bloom pop? When in doubt - everything looks better with some black throw in for contrast.
Shades of a true purple in my neighbor's iris - shot this over the fence. Think lilac and tanzanite. Don't forget the calm, soothing grey tones of the concrete. Or the malachite-like dark and light stripes of green.
How about one of the Stephanie Sersich-style spiky bracelets, with red and green leaves, and some periwinkle blue flowers - in homage to the now-finished crab apple - against the summer blue sky!
Thinking of some more earthy tones? Be inspired by the Dude. Soft cream and ivory and vanilla colours, some ginger, and a sprinkling of black or grey. And those deep, soul-melting topaz eyes for contrast.
Speaking of contrast - brilliant orange frisbee and green grass - opposite sides of the colour wheel, and the dark dog for drama. How to make orange work with out looking like Halloween.
And finally - even the lowly Dandelion and the deeply invasive Snow on the Mountain can inspire. Yellow-green with blue green and cream.
Cheers - have a wonderful - colourful - weekend. Remember - the store is CLOSED on Monday, as we have our own gardens to plant, but our website never sleeps!
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