Early April on the balcony

Narcissus 'Tete-a-tete'

Lewisia cotyledon forma alba

Left to right:

Acer palmatum 'Inaba Shidare' (Inaba Shidare Japanese Maple)
Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' (Black Mondo Grass) - peeking out from beneath the maple
Heuchera 'Obsidian' & Violas, 'SorbetTM Lemon Chiffon' & 'SorbetTM Babyface Purple'

Another seven for autumn: favourite balcony colours & plants

Here's another post inspired by Gayla's “Seven things (plus some extra fun things at the end)” meme: seven favourite colours & plants in my balcony garden these past three autumns (2007-09).

1) Purple Violas

This variety is 'Plum Velvet'. It has shown resilience and vigour -- it survived heat and drought while I was unexpectedly away from my garden for 5 days in late September.

2) Red-violet pansies

 

3) Yellow violas

    

'Lemon Chiffon', a sunny face on a grey, rainy fall day.

4) Black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens')

An excellent foil for other plant colours and textures:

    

5) Acer palmatum dissectum 'Inaba shidare'

Both photos taken the same day showing colour variation between leaves at the top of the tree and those at the bottom.

6) Heuchera 'Peach Flambe'

Top photo taken a few days ago; bottom photo, two years ago.

Confession: In the top photo, the heuchera is in its new "home" (since spring), the partially shaded rockery in my Mom's garden. It's much happier there than in the container on my balcony where it was getting cramped plus occasionally sun-baked.

7) White Westie - Technically fauna rather than flora but he likes to plant himself in the sun between the black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' ) and Heuchera 'Obsidian'.