Masses of Flowers

Even spindly near-weeds like rose campion have great impact when massed. I came across this sparkling parking strip display of hundreds of rose campion on Queen Anne hill near the library -

I've been pulling this persistent self-seeding biennial out of my garden for years. Lychnis coronaria, a.k.a. rose campion is an old-fashioned cottage garden flower with a bright pink bloom, silver foliage, a tall, lax habit and an unfortunate way of growing where it's not wanted. These garden owners were smart enough to let it colonize their parking strip for a vivid, even riotous, and wholly satisfying effect - if multiples of rose campion have such impact, just think how glorious a mass planting of your favorite allium, lily or coneflower would look.......

 

Comments

[sue n.]

Yea, got that it moving around my garden. A blast of color for sure!

[Denise]

So thrilling to see plants do this in urban settings and always makes me wonder what combination of human intent and/or neglect is behind it. I'm currently trying to coax into bloom a single plant of the sterile, double-flowered Lychnis 'Gardener's World,' which seems a bit foolish after seeing this photo!

[Karen]

Awesome shot of the lychnis parking strip! I do wonder though what it looks like the rest of the year. I always mean to do more massing but then I think about the plants' downtimes and worry that there will be a big blank spot when they die back.