73. KEEP CALM AND PURPLE–LIME GREEN
The “Keep Calm and Carry On” phrase has been modified many times, and I would like to add a new one: “Keep Calm and Purple–Lime Green.” This saying may strike a chord in any gardener who likes this color combination. Purple blends the calm stability of blue with the hot energy of red. It uplifts the spirit and encourages creativity. Lime green, on the other hand, is associated with freshness and new growth. These two colors together, purple and lime green, make a dynamic duo, signifying creativity and renewal. No wonder this color combination is so popular in the garden.
You can have purple flowers in each season. In spring, tulips and alliums add a purple accent. Purple perennials for summer include false indigo, iris, agapanthus, lavender, catmint, and geranium ‘Rozanne.’ An unusual North American native perennial that blooms in summer is blue vervain (Verbena hastata). It has narrow candelabras of spikey panicles of small purple flowers. It creates a unique long-lasting vertical element in the garden. Blue vervain thrives in full or part sun in moist or wet soils, and it is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 3–9. The plants grow up to 2 to 6 feet tall. For late summer purples, look to blazing star, salvia, dahlia, asters, and phlox.
Lime green, or chartreuse, accent plants can include the lime-green cultivars of sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas spp.), golden Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’), Lemon Coral sedum (Sedum mexicanum), the lime-colored foliage of several coral bells varieties (Heuchera spp.), and more.
You can take the power of purple to the max in the landscape by pairing it with yellow, which is its complementary color. But the opposing contrast of these two colors vibrates with so much energy that it may be overwhelming. That is why lime green, which is a yellow-toned green, is a better match for purple flowers and purple foliage. Because lime green is not quite the opposite of purple, it makes a dramatic, yet not abrasive, pairing in the garden.
Lime-green flowers and foliage work well with both warm and cool color tones. This is helpful with the many shades of purple flowers. Cool-toned blue-purple flowers are seen as subdued and sophisticated. Their staid presence anchors a flower border. Red-purple or violet flowers are warm and vibrant. They seem to soften other colors. Lime green balances both the red and blue shades of purple and inserts an exhilarating “pop” to a landscape scene.
The round pale purple flowers of edible chives (Allium schoenoprasum) appear in spring and summer on dark green stems rising above the foliage to 18 inches tall. Commonly used as a culinary herb to add mild onion flavor in cooking, these perennial plants also look lovely when paired with the herb golden oregano (Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’). Both are easily grown in average well-drained soils in full sun.
Here, the annual flowers of deep-purple summer snapdragon (Angelonia angustifolia) and ‘Titan Lilac’ annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus ‘Titan Lilac’) contrast with the thin blades of the golden Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) and the large, lime-green leaves of sweet potato vine in the rear. Blue needleleaf evergreens add to the colorful display.
In this watery scene, the luxuriant lobed foliage of ‘Sweet Caroline Light Green’ sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline Light Green’) spills over the edges of a large metal plant container. The leaves remain light green throughout the season and the plant has excellent heat tolerance. It is balanced by the purple orchid-colored flowers of the annual New Guinea impatiens. This combination works well in planters and pots for a purple-lime green theme. This was at the annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
A fall scene features a rustic birdhouse set within a planting of the tall native perennial joe-pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum). Insectivorous birds love its flowers because they attract a multitude of insects to feast on. In the fall, joe-pye weed sets copious seeds that are eaten by such birds as goldfinch, Carolina wren, dark-eyed junco, and tufted titmouse. The plants are fairly resistant to browsing deer and rabbits. It grows from 4 to 7 feet in height, although there are shorter cultivars available. Its pale pink-purple flowers last from midsummer through early fall. This is in the New York Botanical Garden. Zones 4–9.
The seed-bearing perennial ‘Veitch’s Blue’ globe thistle (Echinops ritro ‘Veitch’s Blue’) is an attractive addition to a bird-friendly garden. Its steel-blue, spherical flowers appear in early summer to midsummer, adding a unique color and texture. Globe thistle attracts pollinators and small birds, such as finches, that pick the smooth brown thistle seeds off the flowers. With globe thistle and sunflowers growing together in a sunny spot, you can offer birds a real treat! Drought tolerant and deer resistant. Zones 3–8.
A classic birdbath is surrounded by Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) in the late spring. Also known as the wood hyacinth, this perennial flower grows from a bulb planted in fall and multiplies over the years. The rigid flower stems arise from clumps of strappy foliage to show off bell-shaped, bluish-lavender blooms that open from the bottom up. This deer- and rodent-resistant perennial is an early season magnet for the bees. Hardy in zones 3–9.