Comments on: Some Like It Hot

By: A few flowers - nest maker

A few flowers - nest maker — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:55:53 +0000

[...] Dragon’ would ordinarily scare me, but I’m trying to have courage, since I have it on good authority from The Germinatrix that there is nothing to fear from hot color combinations. I’m all for intense leaf color, [...]

By: Pam/Digging

Pam/Digging — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:35:52 +0000

You and I both go for the reds whenever we can, Germi. Sizzle! Your ‘Apple Tart’ is blooming ahead of mine, but it’s coming. I have a lot more shade in the new-baby garden, but actually in Austin daylilies need a bit of shade (probably in L.A. too, eh?).

I would kill for an orange-tiled wall. Actually, any sort of wall. Love it!

By: Alice Joyce

Alice Joyce — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:06:24 +0000

My dear germinatrix…. you may not only call me ‘tendril,’ but I will curl my little self around your blog posts (AND tweets!) in order to stay connected.
btw… for the longest time it was impossible to obtain Melianthus ‘Purple Haze,’ but the last time I wrote about it, I did a google search and found there it was, indeed, available at several nurseries. Good luck… it’s worth hunting for! lol

By: germinatrix

germinatrix — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:07:04 +0000

Hi Anna Maria – welcome to the garden party! I was so excited when I saw that Mary Ann gave me such a nice boost/link on her blog, and what a pleasure to have you pop by and leave a nice comment. We are on the same page about color – Pink and Orange – YEAH! Now THAT is hot!
Keep visiting! Love to have you on board…

Hey Nicole!
Word!

By: Nicole

Nicole — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:38:35 +0000

Hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

By: anna maria

anna maria — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:04:29 +0000

Wow! I’m so glad Mary Ann Moss of Dispatch from LA pointed us in your direction, because your photos do sing out in color!

Personally I love the combination of orange and hot pink, or purple and red… If the color exists in a flower, it’s beautiful, as far as I’m concerned!

By: germinatrix

germinatrix — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:31:59 +0000

Susan! How did I miss your comment! It must have come in while I was writing the novella comments I tend to post – see why Twitter is so hard for me?
You are ABSOLUTELY correct, of course – the colorful shade plants need love, too – I just don’t happen to have any in my garden! But there are way too many incredible Coleus varieties that cannot be ignored – ‘Inky Fingers’, ‘The Line’, ‘Dark Star’ ! And what is hotter than a blooming Clivia? Shut your eyes! It burns!
Okay, that’s it – what is my deal? I am SO GLAD you pointed out this oversight, because I have some shady areas that are crying out for love!
I would NEVER ignore a client’s shady areas! Why do I do it in my garden? No more!
The Hot Shade Palette is in the hopper. Thanks Susan!

By: germinatrix

germinatrix — Sat, 30 May 2009 01:18:06 +0000

Alice, thanks for those very kind words! But let’s get down to it – where do I find this Melianthus? It sounds like exactly my kind of plant – if the original is already good – then a more compact version with a richer flower! Bring it on! I’m going to start asking every nursery and plant broker I know for it. Thanks for the hot tip, Tendril! May I call you Tendril – it suits you!
I’m so glad you like my wall – that is one of my favorite photos ever!

Hi Nicole! Yes, Martha’s rule of red. Whatever!
But YOU have the last laugh, because it sounds like your bathroom KILLS! That is a shower I want to have! We are re-doing our bathroom sometime soon … I might just have to bite your idea! Would you still be my friend?
I MUST get an Aloe maculata! I don’t know what variety the aloe in front of the pomegranate is – it was supposed to be a variety that blooms white … which it obviously isn’t. So I have to get out the books and try an ID it. There are so many aloes I want! Some day I’ll have to post my aloe wish list…

Welcome, Snarky V! I laughed out loud in the middle of meeting – I took a second while the clients were contemplating some plant choices to check my comments – and I totally busted a gut when I read about you getting to get rid of “those pussy colors”!!! HA! I couldn’t have put it better myself!
You know, I have a fairly shady front yard, but it’s a bright shade, so I get more flowers than I thought I would. And I have one area that gets a few hours of sun – usually, that’s all you need. But the Alstromeria ‘Salmon’ pictured above blooms beautifully in bright shade, so there’s a start! Where do you live? I can give you a couple of plant suggestions – one good laugh deserves some plant advice!

By: susan morrison (garden chick)

susan morrison (garden chick) — Sat, 30 May 2009 00:59:47 +0000

Just popped over from twitter when I saw Toronto Garden’s tweet – I love hot colors in the garden! My last stop today was the nursery to pick up coleus and giant begonias – all in shades of peach, orange, dark red and lime green. You’re showing sun plants, but don’t forget a fiery palette rocks a shade garden like nobody’s business.

By: snarkyvegan

snarkyvegan — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:39:45 +0000

I am so with you on this one. Love lov lov the hot colors. We just had our house redone in a georgeous ochre color and now I get to get rid of all those pussy colors and replace them with fabulous warmth. Oranges, golds, bronzes, reds,…I can’t wait! Of course, part of the problem with hot colored flowers is that all the ones I want seem to require full sun. [sigh] So I don’t know what I’ll do about that in our full shade front yard.