When the juicy colors of the Golden season faded, many plants still have something to surprise you. Tramp wind sways dark brown whorls, beige panicles, reddish-brown umbrellas, awakening a string of warm memories. Beauty never dies — she is immersed in the rejuvenating sleep!
Winter thriftily went to a favorite garden, and with her arrival awakened nostalgia for the fresh greens of spring, the splendor of the summer drowning in the color and brightness of autumn. But even the most persistent herbaceous perennials have faded, and everything seems dull and colorless. Do not be sad in vain — take a closer look! Even having lost elegant decoration, many “Pets” have retained their unique charm. And it lies not in the color throw, but in the perfect geometry of the structure of plants. Among the late blooming flora (especially ornamental grasses), there are especially many species that are beautiful in the cold season.
Filigree inflorescences-baskets (Tanacetum), covered with ice crystals, sparkle and Shine effectively in the sun.
The structure of the plant is a detail that completely escapes attention when the inhabitants of the garden are covered with leaves and strewn with flowers. Now it has come to the fore. Here’s an elegant candle spiral upwards, recklessly flirting with a solid umbrellas here moving panicles of grasses interwoven with thin, like cobweb openwork stems. Here and there, like raisins, flaunting dark boxes and cones with seeds. But as spectacular red-brown inflorescences-saucers or almost black head Echinacea! They will not break even the snow (provided that you have not cut the plants in the fall) — on the contrary, lovingly decorate charming white hats.
Left: Sedum after flowering become Burgundy,and eventually become brown. Right: Almost black inflorescences Echinacea resemble small hedgehogs.
The aboveground part of the plants should not be cut even from a purely practical reasons. After all, dried stems and leaves, like a warm Palatine, protect dormant buds, of which next year will be new shoots. And the birds will like your decision, because they will be able to eat the seeds remaining in the fruit.
In the autumn of the disheveled inflorescences Monarda remain neat light brown heads, which, like small balloons, hover over the flower garden on high durable peduncles. By the way, the seeds of plants in the fruit-nuts are happy to eat birds.
Filigree forms are not the only advantage of sleeping beauties. The first impression is that the obsolete parts of the plant and the seed-heads of the same color, is deceptive. Come close! You will be surprised to see many shades of black, brown, red, yellow and white. And the more species with different structure and color of inflorescences combined in the flower garden, the more interesting and contrasting picture in the cold season. Discover the charm of a dormant garden — and you will learn to enjoy the colorful dreams that plants see!
Left: oblong candles of Rudbeckia maxima eventually acquire a rich brown hue. Right: Like beads strung on strong peduncles of Phlomis russeliana.
Very impressive look large balls of Echinops inflorescences.
Wheat-yellow candles of the faded Agastache rugosa Alba are added to the flower garden of solar energy. Particularly advantageous, this plant looks great in group plantings.
Angelica sylvestris ‘Vicar’s Mead’ even after drying charms reddish inflorescences.
Covered with frost openwork panicles of late flowering ornamental grasses, such as Chinese Miscanthus and broad-leaved planter, delight the eye with perfection of forms.
Left: inflorescence of Eupatorium, hovering above the ground at a height up to 3.5 m zasyhaya become silvery-gray, furry animals. In the center: in the cold season yellow blossoms-panicles Solidago turn into fluffy cloud. Right: Achillea filipendulina with inflorescences stands out against the background of its counterparts from the family of perennials.
Look closely and you will see the richness of colors that shimmers garden the change of seasons!
A spectacular flower garden for all seasons
Many garden plants, such as ochitok, Rudbeckia and Echinacea, even in dry form retain decorative effect. If competently to make the company from such representatives of flora, there will be a flower garden which will be beautiful all year round. We bring to your attention the variant of such landing (the size of 4×2 m):
- In the far row (left to right) grow Sedum telephium ‘Herbstfreude’, Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Fascination’, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Silberspinne’, Thalictrum delavayi, Euphonium fistulosum ‘Atropurpureum’.
- The middle row is occupied by Phlomis russeliana, Agastache rugosa ‘Black Adder’, Echinops bannaticus ‘Taplow Blue’, Monarda fistulosa ‘Purple Ann’.
- The front panel features a Stachys byzantine ‘Big Ears’,Sedum Hybride ‘Abbeydore’, Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ and Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’.