Why is it that purple(ish) flowers are seemingly the first to bloom every year? Is it genetic? I read somewhere that flower colors may provide signals for specific pollinators due to differences in vision patterns among various birds, butterflies and other insects. So maybe purple flowers bloom early because their pollinators arrive early? I don’t know whether this is actually the case. Maybe it’s just my imagination! Perhaps I’ve been unknowingly planting more purple(ish) flowers than those of other colors and by simple happenstance they all bloom at the same time!
The first Irises that bloomed this spring were white. They’re long gone. They were immediately followed by Irises in various shades of purple. Some might not even be considered purple, but I wouldn’t know how else to categorize them so I gave them that distinction! I do have two yellow ones now blooming but they’ll have to wait for a later post!
These other purple(ish) bloomers are either still going strong or have just begun to flower. I’m not certain whether the Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) qualifies in this color category. When purchased it was supposed to be blue and white, which it definitely isn’t. So I’ll just consider it purple(ish). The Rocket Larkspur (Delphinium consolida Rocket) have just begun to bloom. Currently most of them are purple, but pink and white ones are beginning to show themselves. As for the Viola — I’m not certain what species they are. They’ve been growing in the shade beneath some shrubs for years. Last week I dug all of them up and transplanted them to a shady area of the back yard. They should put on quite a show during the summer!
In order to combat the ‘purple power’ of my garden, I’ve decided to search out some perennials with flowers of different shades to plant amongst what I currently have. To that end, I accompanied my husband to a local garden center and picked out a few plants that were included in a one-day sale. I ended up with five perennials — Daylily ‘Siloam Paul Watts’ (Hemerocallis ‘Siloam Paul Watts’), Autumn Sage ‘Radio Red’ (Salvia greggii ‘Radio Red’), Tickseed ‘Cruizin’ Route 66′ (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Cruizin’ Route 66′), Butterfly Flower (Asclepias tuberosa) and Phlox ‘Red Flame’ (Phlox paniculata ‘Red Flame’). The Butterfly Flower is the only duplication of a plant that I already have. So I’ve got some reds and oranges to add some additional color. Of course, they may not be blooming at the same time the plants in my purple family do, but they’ll still add something different to the garden!
I’ll leave you with a photo I took just after a rain shower last week. Aren’t the raindrops and the coloring of the Iris bloom just exquisite?
The Transmutational Garden 