Purple pom-poms and stripey leaves
I’m drinking up this grapey, effervescent combo of ‘Grapes’ gomphrena and variegated flax lily (Dianella tasmanica ‘Variegata’) in my garden right now. The tiny purple blooms of ‘Grapes’ look like miniature pom-poms, and it certainly cheers its way through autumn, its spindly stems supported by white-striped flax lily.
Magenta and cool stripes
It’s true love.
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You found the perfect place for gomphrena ‘grapes. It looks very pretty with the contrasting Dianella.I gave away mine last year because it was so huge and a very late bloomer andoftenhit by frost. I was surprised to see it had seeded in the gravel although I should not have been as I got the seed from one of our Austin gardeners.
I can see why it would have been less congenial in your garden, since it blooms late and you usually get an earlier freeze than the rest of Austin. It sounds as if it liked the place anyway, which is no surprise! —Pam
It’s a pretty combination, Pam. Mine (sold here as ‘Itsy Bitsy’) has gotten huge. Hopefully, it won’t become a pest (I haven’t seen signs of self-seeding, although some people say it does) as it makes a nice, airy addition to vases too.
I bet it would be nice as an accent in a vase with those leggy stems. —Pam
Purple…one of my favorites.
It’s a good color. —Pam
Does it last longer than the ‘fireworks’ and ‘strawberry fields’? Both of those went to seed in my yard quite a while ago.
No, those both bloom for a longer time and start much earlier in the season. ‘Grapes’ doesn’t start blooming until November in my garden, and it quits with the first freeze, although the dried pom-pom blossoms still look pretty to me. —Pam
Red-purple flowers and white-and-deep-green foliage are a refreshing combination, possible in lots of other ways. One that works well here is daylily ‘Little Grapette’ (hybridized by a Texan) against Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’. A take for shadier conditions is a green and white Hosta with purple or magenta Astilbe, or spiderwort, or even impatiens.
In a container, Chasmanthium latifolium ‘River Mist’ with ‘Homestead’ verbena.
For zone 8 (or gardeners willing to dig and store over winter): Curcuma ‘Snowdrift’ with any purple dahlia.
Variegated liriope in bloom is a self-combo!
Don’t mind me; just having color fantasies on a day that’s dull grey, a fridge where the light doesn’t come on when you open the door.
Color fantasies are fun! I like the way you ran with it, Nell. By the way, I’m curious about your experience with ‘River Mist’ sea oats. I have it but can’t get it to do anything. It just barely hangs on each year, whereas the regular sea oats are so vigorous. Any tips? —Pam
One more that evokes Pam’s combination even more closely: drumstick allium among Yucca filamentosa ‘Variegata’.
Now off to plant those last-minute, half-price daffodil bulbs…