50 shades of grey (and blue) in the garden
Like Anastasia Steele, I’ve been seduced by Mr. Grey. Grey paint, that is.
I’ve started staining the front-garden lattice fence a dark grey-green (Sherwin-Williams Black Alder), matching it to the lattice mirrors I recently hung on the house, visible in the background. Going to the dark side is, it turns out, pretty rewarding. For one thing, the fence visually recedes. No longer does your eye linger on the wooden fence itself. Now you notice the garden view. Also, plants really stand out against it. I’m planting bamboo muhly all along my side of the fence to highlight its chartreuse foliage against the dark stain.
I went with grey on the new curved stucco walls in the back garden too, which I expect will surprise many of you after my initial experiment with bright red. I lived with the red for several months, but as one astute reader observed, it made the garden all about that red wall. It was all you could see.
So I fell into my usual paint-sample madness, trying out a rainbow of at least eight colors over the next months — eliciting from my niece a skeptical “Is it going to stay like that?” — before choosing Dunn Edwards Celluloid for the two curved walls. There’s a hint of blue in this grey, and my initial fear that a dark color would disappear against the back cedar fence was misplaced. It stands out just enough — but not too much. And look how the Mexican honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera), which is having a really good spring, pops against it.
I’m holding off on a big reveal of the whole space, including the middle wall (now blue), for two reasons: the pool is soupy with pollen catkins and live oak leaves (yuck), and I’m still working on the area behind the pool, pictured here. Look for a complete post with before-and-after pics in a week or two.
While noticing my predilection for grey, I had to include a photo of the garden shed my husband built (it actually hides the pool pump). The body is another shade of grey-green, the doors turquoise. I’m definitely sensing a theme here. Greys and blues. My formative years as a Rice Owl must have really made an impression!
I still enjoy a pop of red here and there.
But I leave you with a little more blue in the form of a bubbling pot-fountain, with purple spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis) adding its own spring harmony.
All material © 2006-2015 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Love the fence color. All of your walls are coming together. I think it is great having those pops of red, orange and other bright colors. You can appreciate all the color in the garden when one color doesn’t take a stand. Will be looking forward to those before and after shots.
I am too, Lisa, because it’ll mean I can finally rest after the craziness of spring! —Pam
Wow! It looks absolutely amazing. Great choice of color. The blue and grey combination is eye catching yet subtle enough that it allows the plants to show off. Nicely done. Can’t wait to see more.
Thanks, Karin. —Pam
You have accomplished amazing things in a relatively short time in your garden. It’s beautiful!
Thanks, Renee. You know, this year will be my 7th year making this garden, which is as long as I had with my former garden. I can’t believe it’s almost been 7 years here already. —Pam
Looking good over there. Gray works better with the house and allows the rest of the garden to shine. That fence is transformed with the deep color. I’d not noticed the copper post caps before and now they stand out as a great detail.
Shirley, you’re right that gray just looks better with our house’s peachy brick and warm-gray siding. And yes, those copper post caps really do stand out now. —Pam
Looks great!
Can’t wait to see the big reveal.
Thanks, Linda. It’s coming along. I’m just glad the agonizing over color is over. —Pam
Ahhh – at last. Really liking that grey! In high school I used to tease a friend’s mother who was always assuring us the dark wrought iron railing she was installing was going to “disappear”. Of course she was correct, but her daughter and I were always fake bumping into it and saying “Oh! I guess I didn’t see that there.” Yup. Hilarious even as an adolescent…
I’ll bet that’s not only a funny memory for you but a fond one for the mom, remembering the silliness and gentle teasing of her daughter’s teenage years. Always keep ’em laughing, Deb! —Pam
Good choice on the dark gray color for the fence. It sets the garden off just right, like the perfect frame on a masterpiece painting.
Or, as is more appropriate in my case, it’s a nice frame on an amateur painting that continues to get daubed and reworked. Thanks for the generous analogy though, Alison. 🙂 —Pam
The color choices are really nice. I agree that the plants pop with that gray. I’ve been considering painting my fence the color of my house trim (dark brown). I had new fence put in on one side of the yard and now the rest of the fence looks terrible. Painting it would make it all look the same and add some depth to the property. It’s nice to see from photo how good it could look. Your giant spiderwort is beautiful too.
There’s nothing like something new in the garden to make its surroundings look old and tired, right? Paint is a good fix, although it does require maintenance. I thought long and hard about painting my fence and recognize that I’ve created an ongoing maintenance chore. Ah well, what we won’t do in the pursuit of beauty! —Pam
The grey is lovely and accents your garden beautifully. Your project is inspiring and I have plans to paint some or all of my fencing, but it’s a project way down on my list. Some day….
Thanks, Tina. I’m getting all kinds of projects kicked into high gear this year, knowing my garden will be on the Master Gardener tour and filmed for Central Texas Gardener this fall. If you ever want to get a few projects crossed off, consider planning a garden event. It’s amazing how fast you’ll get going on them! —Pam
You’re spot on with the gray I think! That photo of the blue-gray wall with the Mexican honeysuckle and the pots behind is picture perfect. I look forward to seeing the whole shebang when it’s ready for its reveal.
Thanks, Kris! —Pam
Excellent choices Pam!
Danger approves! That makes me happier than you know, Loree. —Pam
Yes PERFECT,I love the color,this is exactly what I had invisioned before when I commented. Your plants will look stunning and it fits perfectly with what you had going. Love it can’t wait to see what else you will do this gardening season.
Thank you, Glenda. I sure wish I could come to color decisions on the first try, but I always have to play around with samples. But I’m glad I got to these colors eventually. —Pam
I like your choice of color for the fence and the wall. All that time consuming work will be worth it. Unless it is like those hedges in England where they no sooner finish trimming than it is time to start again!
I’m sure that’s exactly how it will be, Jenny. —Pam
That color is awesome!…such an earthy grey…
I also love how you are almost walking under your AZ Cypress!!!! You must be thrilled!
Well, yes and no. I really hated to have to prune the AZ cypress up, as it was so lovely with the lower limbs intact. However, it was crowding the path, and it was limb it up or take it out. So I limbed it. And yes, it’s high enough for my tall self to walk under. The exposed bark is flaky and pretty, so I’m focusing on that and trying not to mourn the missing limbs. —Pam
Oooh! I like it! It’s interesting how our color preferences emerge as we work on our gardens. I have very little grey but love how it works with your garden. That shed is so dang cute!
Thanks, Casa M. My husband did such a nice job on that shed. I love it. —Pam
I love the fence color! It looks marvelous, as does the subdued color of the curved wall. That Mexican Honeysuckle does pop. Did you say 7 years in this house! Wow!
It’ll be 7 years this October. Time flies, eh? —Pam
Looking good. Congrats on your win.~~Dee
Thanks so much, Dee. —Pam
that side garden is really coming along, Pam. And I absolutely LOVE that color on the stucco wall.
Thanks, Jean! —Pam
Pam, I love the color you chose for the trellis! I’d love to paint mine but it’s too covered in blooming crossvine to access!
I just planted a coral honeysuckle on my fence, at least the part I’ve finished staining. I don’t know what I’ll do when it’s time to restain. —Pam
Love the curved wall for sure. What really caught my eye was the Mexican Honeysuckle. Pam, since we are a bit north for it, can I assume it does not get six feet tall in Austin? I bought four small pots of it today and now I am not so sure where to put it. If it gets about three feet in height I do have several spots that would work. Thanks! I always look forward to your posts.
I’ve never seen any taller than about 4 feet in Austin, Sherry. At least, that’s what mine have topped out at. It seems rather slow-growing too. —Pam