Spokane Temple Annuals July 2012: Part II

Here are a few more photos of the annual beds at the Spokane Temple showing one area where the color scheme worked nicely and another where the colors didn't work as well.  These first three photos show the flowers at the secondary entrance gate. Vibrant lime green sweet potato vine leaves make a nice contrast to 'Double Cherry Profusion' zinnias, 'Confetti' lantana, sapphire 'Regatta' lobelia, deep pink alyssum and dark violet-blue 'Aladdin' petunias.



We call this area the South Arc because of the half-circle of boxwoods that frame the annuals.  The pot in the center is lacking color because a sensor went out a couple of weeks ago and shut the whole irrigation system down for a few days (or more?) during 90 degree weather.  We lost almost all of the plants in this pot and the two outside the gate, and it will take a while for the replacements to settle in and start blooming.  At least the 'Blue Arrows' rush (Juncus) in the center and the 'Silver Falls' dichondra around the edges of the pot survived. 



I underestimated the number of plants we'd need in this area and a few others, so Marilyn (the head volunteer) and I spent a lot of time in June buying more plants here and there and filling in the beds.  Hopefully I'll be able to get it right the first time for next year!  But this area has turned out well, and the vivid colors don't get washed out in the intense summer sun that bakes this spot.



These last three photos show the urns and rectangle bed on the east of the temple.  The color scheme looks a little 'blah' to me.  I think the pale yellow petunias weren't a good choice.  Next year maybe we'll do bubblegum pink petunias instead?  Marilyn and I are also thinking that we should use some 'Marine' heliotrope to add fragrance, and we need to add some golden yellow since this area is surrounded by a ring of golden 'Stella d'Oro' daylilies.  Maybe 'Dakota Gold' helenium or a trailing bidens would work.   



This bed also contains 'Sophistica Blue Morn' petunias, 'Regatta White' lobelia, light blue lobelia, lavender bacopa, lime licorice plant (Helichrysum), 'Diamond Frost' euphorbia, and three 'Green Velvet' boxwoods that provided structure when the annuals were smaller but are now mostly covered up.  In the background is a row of 'Endless Summer' hydrangeas with one bloom.  This type of hydrangea has been a bust in my yard as well - our late spring frosts zap the flower buds on old wood, and our growing season is too short for the new wood to do much blooming.  Might as well call them 'Never Summer' hydrangeas.



This pot is begging for a supertunia to cascade down the side and add more color.  Just one - otherwise the whole pretty urn would be covered and look like a mound of petunias.  I learned from our grower that unlike 'Wave' petunias, supertunias don't produce seed (they're grown from cuttings), so they keep making a lot of blooms without deadheading.  I think a pot full of nothing but petunias is boring, but I like them in combinations.  They really are amazing at producing a lot of bold color in pots.  I'm not sure why the ivy geraniums in these urns haven't flowered much, as they're doing well in the pots at the west of the temple.  This pot also has a maroon corydalis spike in the center, light blue lobelia, lime licorice plant, trailing Vinca minor, 'Diamond Frost' euphorbia and 'Tapien' violet verbena.  Well, there's definitely room for some improvement next year.  Suggestions are always welcome.