Color in the Garden

We were out of town for a week, and while we were gone, it was actually sunny. Unfortunately it was probably the only week of sun we will have all spring.  It's amazing what can happen in one week to a garden, especially when there's some much desired sunshine. 

So many things bloomed in that one week!  And so many of them purple!  

Chives

Irises

Lavender

Geranium

Centaurea Bachelor Buttons

Allium

Comfrey

Lilacs

I realized when we returned that I have way too much purple in my garden.  

When we first bought this house seven years ago, the flowers that were here were mostly pinks, purples and light blues, none of which are really my favorite colors in the garden. Over the years I've tried to add other colors, reds, yellows, deep black purples, oranges. 

What I didn't think through very well is when things bloom.  

The red, yellow and orange tulips are all dead and gone by the time all the purple arrives, and the yellow-orange of the day lilies and yellow-orangy blacks of the rudibeckia and sunflowers don't bloom until later. So for a while, my garden is very purple with some white, some blue-purples and deep pinks thrown in. 

Lily got mad when I said there was too much purple because it's her favorite color. I actually love many of the purple plants in the garden; lavender and allium are two of my favorites, and chives brighten up the whole yard while keeping away lots of garden pests, but this is the first year I realized the garden is very monochromatic in the late spring.