The 20th-century architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe famously said, “Less is more” when describing the design principles of minimalism. But when it comes to flower gardening many people follow the opposite philosophy of more is more. And why not? If we love the joy that flowers bring, then we cannot have too much of it. A flower garden overflowing with colors, scents, and textures is truly a floral embarrassment of riches.
Feel free to indulge the urge to stuff a flower bed or beds with an assortment of annual and perennial flowers and more. Go ahead—mix yellow marigolds with pink windflowers, purple alliums, fragrant heliotrope, and snow-white cosmos. Throw in some blue salvia and it becomes a veritable “floral stew” that simmers and blends its flavors all season long.
I must admit that the practice of more is more can be a little dangerous. Some people can take this to the extreme, and what was once a symphony of flowers can become a cacophony of colors, a crazy mishmash that disturbs rather than delights. So I add this advice: be thoughtful. “More” may become overwhelming, and so will be less appreciated. Even in flower gardening, you can have too much of a good thing.
When designing a garden, plant in layers. This will lessen any confusion. Have a background such as evergreen shrubs or trees in the distance. Plant flowers together but in large swaths or groups. Insert vertical accents like grasses or tall allium to punctuate the scene. And add flowers gradually rather than as an all-in-one-day adventure. Plant something, let it grow, and then if you fancy something more, add it later. The go-slow approach allows you to pop in something here and there throughout the season. Think of it as “a little more is a little more.”
A charming jumble of summer flowers is dominated by the airy white cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), an annual. Its widespreading and thin stems reach out to create an exuberant flowering mass. You can interplant flowers all together to create depth and joyfulness. Allow flowers to self-seed by leaving seed heads on the plants. Cosmos is a moderate reseeder.
In early summer, this cottage-style flower garden is a mix of annuals and perennials. The spherical seed heads of the hybrid ‘Globemaster’ ornamental onion (Allium ‘Globemaster’) grow to 2½ feet high. They add a sculptural effect to a varied mix of flowers that include silver dusty miller, white cosmos, purple heliotrope, lavender ageratum, and pink wandflower. ‘Globemaster’ allium grows in zones 5–8.
A mass of orange flowers of the perennial sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) takes center stage in late summer and early fall. It is a native, sun-loving flower and likes lean soil to stay upright. Zones 4–8. It is growing in front of the deep magenta flowers of mountain fleece (Persicaria amplexicaulis). The blooms of airy tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis) insert some purple accents in the background. Photo by Laura Hendrix McKillop.