Red Dirt Ramblings®

Firmly rooted in the Oklahoma soil

Three for Thursday, purple and green

After I walked about taking photos, I kept thinking of that song, Silver and Gold, and I repeated purple and green as I searched. Why are these two colors so striking and yet soothing in the garden I wonder?

One, the four varieties of coleus planted next to the Virgin Mary in the side garden. All have performed beautifully even during our 100F plus temperatures. Being sun coleus, they can take a lot of heat as long as they have plenty of water.

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Coleus in the side garden. The dark reddish purple on the left is 'Religious Radish'. The dark purple in the middle is 'Midnight Train', and the purple and green variety, 'Witch Doctor.' I'll definitely buy these again.

Two, the dark purple millet I bought at TLC for $5.00 a container on sale. I also have seeds for next year and will definitely plant them throughout the garden if the millet doesn’t replicate itself.

Spikey, dark purple millet makes a nice backdrop for pink? purple? Senorita Rosalita cleome.

Three, Japanese dianthus with its fleshy leaves beat the heat by a mile and looks cool doing it. Everyone who can should grow this plant. It’s cold hardy through USDA Zone 6-10. As a side note, in this picture, it resembles Senorita Rosalita cleome above. However, it is really a very low growing plant in the garden while the bonita Senorita is much taller with airier foliage.

Dianthus japonicus is relatively unknown, but easy to grow. Here, it anchors a corner of one bed.

That’s my Three for Thursday. Thanks to Cindy at My Corner of Katy for this fun meme.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Jay Chua

    Hi Dee,

    I live in Vancouver, Canada.

    The weather is kinda unpredictable sometimes..we usually get some good Sunlight for a short summer, and rest will be rainy & 1/2 sun light.

    We just moved in a small apartment, and it has a small balcony. My wife & I have decided to give it a try and see whether it will work at our balcony:)

  4. Rose

    The purple coleus is so cool! I planted a coleus in the sun for the first time this year, but I know none of our garden centers had anything this purple, or I certainly would have bought one. I’ve decided that purple complements any color.

  5. Donna

    I like the Dianthus japonica. It looks like it beat the heat, while Senorita Rosalita is water hog. I know having 4 large thirsty ladies on my property.

  6. Gail

    Dee, You’ve chosen three beautiful plants to show us~I’ve been thinking that coleus is too thirsty for my garden, but I am certainly going to try it next spring. Love the combos. The millet has to come stay here, too. next visit to OKC I want to time it so your favorite nursery is open~I can’t find some of the wonderful plants you grow~gail

  7. Mr. McGregor's Daughter

    I love purple & green (and chartreuse) too. Your coleus grouping is wonderful. For some reason, I haven’t been combining my coleuses. (Maybe because I couldn’t get the green variegated one to survive winter in the house?) Oh, boo, that cute Dianthus isn’t hardy here.

  8. Cyndy

    Hi Dee – nice to know seeds are available for that purple millet – I spent a summer surreptitiously collecting seed heads only to be told by a gardening friend that the plants are sterile – was she pulling my leg? Love your purples and greens…

  10. Cindy, MCOK

    Dee, I love those coleus! I haven’t seen them here. Next year I may have to get you to ship me some. You’re so right, that purple and green combination is very cooling. I think I need the Dianthus too!

    Thanks for joining in the Three for Thursday fun!

  11. Dee Nash

    Hi Kristin, Coleus is one simplest plants to grow here, and with all the new varieties coming out they help the garden out of its summer doldrums.

  12. Kristin

    I love the coleus. Haven’t seen those here. Lovely that they can all withstand the heat. I will have to look for that Dianthus. I seem to be getting quite a collection.