Author Topic: Need suggestions for firefighter garden  (Read 3182 times)

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Offline barleychown

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Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« on: Jul 03, 2007, 12:06:24 AM »
I am once again building a firefighter garden, this time from a blank slate. I have started it, and have chosen some trees and shrubs, but now I'm looking for some suggestions for more shrubs and perrenials. I'm aiming for red, orange,yellow and "black" plants and flowers.

So far I have:

Maltese cross in red, looking for white...
White butterfly bush
yellow witch hazel
orange witch hazel
red bottlebrush
red camellia
red, white yellow and orage lily
orange butterfly weed
"orangeola" japanese maple
white hydrangea


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Offline Patty S

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #1 on: Jul 03, 2007, 01:08:05 AM »
Being fairly new at flower gardening, I don't get as elaborate as you do (yet), but I don't have room here for very many bushes. & don't want tall plants, cuz we have a view that we don't want to block.
 
Are you looking for perennials, in particular? I really like my Celosia, & it comes in the colors you're looking for.  I'm partial to the crested variety, but the plumed ones would be just as nice for a firefighter garden. The Cuphea "Firecracker" might work nicely too.  Yellow Zinnias last all season as well, & I think that any of the Coreopsis varieties might re-seed themselves, if you let them. (They run from shades of yellow, to oranges.)

Those are annuals in most zones, but as for perennials, I think that Calendula would fit also, & they flower from early spring till the temps cool way down. Some folks regard Calendula as "weeds", cuz they can be so prolific, but I like them, cuz they're a good mainstay for color when everything else dies off from the heat or just runs out of blossom energy. (And they're draught tolerant.)

I can't think of any black flowers offhand, unless you want to mess around with having a voodoo lily in your yard! They're amazing plants, but stink to high heaven, cuz they smell like something died! (Wish I had one!)

These are the ones that came to mind as I read your post, but I'm sure I'll think of more ideas that you might be able to use. BTW, I can't help but wonder... where the heck are you going to put this firefighter garden? :ScratchHead: I would think that you're just about outta room in your yard... but that doesnt seem to stop you!  :laughmao:

Offline barleychown

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #2 on: Jul 03, 2007, 02:48:02 AM »
I had forgotten about calendula, thanks for reminding me! :idea:

I prefer to deal with perennials simply because I don't have to replant every year. I do have some select places where I use annuals, like the strip between the sidewalk and the street, and some of my containers.

There are some (very few) plants that have the black I'm looking for...and even then it's more of a true deeeeeeep maroon. I had some tulips in the last yard that were so close to black it was awesome. Of course I forgot to grab them. :Groaner:

The fire garden will be smack in the middle of the lower portion of the back yard...and it will be a "keyhole" bed that you enter from the back of the yard so as to create a hidden area when you are viewing from the front.

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MassMama

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #3 on: Jul 03, 2007, 06:02:46 AM »
Hi Sarah I have a few Ideas...

 :nutz: I like wierd flowers...

Green wizard rudebeckia
*broken link removed*
Black night holly hock ( I used to have one but it got eaten)
Orange glory flowers
*broken link removed*
BeeBalm
*broken link removed*
Even Hydrangias can be forced black I almost did it last year
*broken link removed*
« Last Edit: Mar 24, 2008, 12:22:22 AM by barleychown »

Offline barleychown

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #4 on: Jul 03, 2007, 10:16:49 AM »
Ohhhh...I like your ideas! :ThumbUp:

I will be adding them to the list.

I also remembered red corn poppies.
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Offline duh

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #5 on: Jul 04, 2007, 12:06:40 PM »
I started this list once and the computer booted me.  Not nice computer.

Aquilegia Black Barlow Columbine (this columbine can take full sun)

Blackberry Lilies

Cosmos atrosanguineus 'Chocolate'

Helleborus 'Ashwood Black Hybrids' (will need to be partially shaded by larger plants.

Hemerocallis 'Apricot Sparkles' Daylily

Hemerocallis 'Bela Lugosi' Daylily

Heuchera 'Starry Night' Coral Bells a brown black color that will take full sun.

Persicaria 'Dragon's Eye' Mountain Fleeceflower

Black Bat-faced flowers

Rosa 'Knock Out' Rose

Salix gracilistyla 'Melanostachys' Pussy Willow, Black

Viola cornuta 'Black Magic' Violet  These also will require shading by bigger plants

I hope something here is of interest.









Offline Dianna

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #6 on: Jul 04, 2007, 08:35:01 PM »
Sarah, my marigolds are reddish-orange and yellow. If you would like, I could send you some seeds from them... :)
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Offline Tina

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #7 on: Jul 04, 2007, 11:53:59 PM »
Red hot pokers, Sarah. Want some?
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Offline barleychown

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #8 on: Jul 06, 2007, 12:29:29 PM »
I love all the idaes so far! You guys are great. :ThumbUp:

Dianna, I would love some seed. :clap:

Tina, I have some hot poker seeds around here somewhere, let me try them first, if they don't work, I would love some of your pokers. Thanks!

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Offline barleychown

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #9 on: Feb 25, 2008, 11:41:25 AM »
I thought I'd bump this topic, to see if I can pick your brains a bit more. I'm looking at perennial flowers now, all heights, some full sun, others shade.
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Offline Wrennie

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #10 on: Feb 25, 2008, 12:24:38 PM »
Canna lilies. Flame shaped leaves, reds oranges and yellows.
Tithonia

coreopsis also in yellow. I may have seeds

ecchinacea

yarrow

dahlia also plain yellows

gazania

dianthus

tall evening primrose i can send babies in spring

astilbe for shade

blackberry lily i may have seed for. or babies in the spring

snapdragons i think i have seed left

poppies, they reseed so easily they may as well be perrenials

perrenial sunflower  may be able to get more roots later

thunbergia vine


the ones that are annuals may or may not be in your zone. :unsure:
« Last Edit: Feb 25, 2008, 12:28:00 PM by Wrennie »



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Offline patches

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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #11 on: Feb 25, 2008, 07:29:07 PM »
Hey, Sarah, one of my friend's has one of her garden beds in black and white.  While I can't really say I like it,  :smileyNo:  she does and it is unique.  Funny thing, I was at a new garden store last year and saw something called 'Ebony Knight' Mondo Grass and it was black, so I called to see if she wanted me to pick it up for her and she really loved it.  Some of the other black flowers she has are the Black/chocolate cosmos, Whipple's beardtongue, and Black Iris.  I hope this helps!  ;) 
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Re: Need suggestions for firefighter garden
« Reply #12 on: Feb 26, 2008, 01:40:46 AM »
sarah sounds great!!! i have some black holly hock seeds a friend gave me, i could send you some. im not sure if their a true black or a purplish/ maroon black, i havent planted em yet,

red cockscome are a nice red color.
zinnias candy stripes are red n white.
roses red white, yello, n theres a black one called Black Baccara rose [ its a bit more very dark maroon] most black roses are
i know whatcha mean bout the black flowers, its hard finding a true black.
check out the coal black pansy in this site n the violas there dianthus look pretty black too.
http://www.alchemy-works.com/black_flowers.html

 

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