Rainbow flower border

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Rainbow flower border
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Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 1:33 am Post subject: Rainbow flower border

One of the first things that we'll be starting in the new field is a sensory garden and I really want to make a rainbow flower border, if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

It will have a wide wheelchair accessible path right up against it, along the length of it, so that Willow can be pushed right alongside but also turned to face it.

I'm thinking a lavender at the front on varying heights working back to tall red flowers at the back of the border. The whole thing will be in an almost semi-circle so it surrounds you from the centre.

So first up, tall red flowers! I think a variety will work well rather than all the same. Then working through the rainbow down to wheelchair height at the front.

The heavier the scent the better!

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 6:38 am Post subject:
I think dahlias will feature in the reds at least, 1m ones

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16134

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 7:09 am Post subject:
It doesn't smell, but lobelia can be found in blue, mauve and white for a low front to the garden if you need those colours. You might manage some cannas which are a rich red, montbretia which is orange through red, hollyhocks can be a range of colours. Perhaps some herbs for a range of greens.

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 7:11 am Post subject:
Ooh good idea on the herbs for green! I'll have to draw a plan of heights, I think.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16134

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 7:12 am Post subject:
Sorry the others don't smell, but they are good colours and some are quite sculptural.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 10:43 am Post subject:
Have you looked at Sarah Raven’s plant catalogues? She has a ton of vibrant colours, and likes scent. There are some fabulous orange/yellow poppies and she does meadow flower mixes (I have a lovely blue one, with salvias and cornflowers etc)

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6643
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 11:22 am Post subject:
You may be looking more for perennials, but there are some fantastically red sunflowers that you could find in whatever height you want.

frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11417

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 12:08 pm Post subject:
How about nigella for looks and self seeding, some bright lights chard for colourful stems and eating. Some chives and nasturtium? closer to the front Stocks and lemonbalm for smell? L ambs ears for softness?

snowball
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 6246
Location: swindon

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 12:09 pm Post subject:
I also vote for red sun flowers. Also stocks. Maybe lupins? I particularly love my corn flowers from the wild flower mix I used last year.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6643
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 12:29 pm Post subject:
There are some lovely red rudebeckias and red yarrow as well Red hollyhocks are tall

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 12:43 pm Post subject:
I hadn't though about red sunflowers! Some great ideas!

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 12:45 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

Have you looked at Sarah Raven’s plant catalogues? She has a ton of vibrant colours, and likes scent. There are some fabulous orange/yellow poppies and she does meadow flower mixes (I have a lovely blue one, with salvias and cornflowers etc)

i got her cut flower journal for my birthday (actually, I bought it for myself for my birthday, I think you might have recommended her cut flower book, thought the journal might be nice for our first year in the new place). Also had a quick slick through her website.

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 12:47 pm Post subject:

Slim wrote:

There are some lovely red rudebeckias and red yarrow as well

I love rudebeckias so they're a definite!

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 12:50 pm Post subject:
Looking at the red sunflowers, they're usually quite a dark red aren't they? I'd like them to be as bright as can be

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 18 2:17 pm Post subject:
Actually, looking at this, perhaps a mixed border of all the colours of the rainbow rather than lines from back to front. Like this a lot and it would be more doable/maneagable.

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