it's combo week!

I am heading north to spend the first week of summer vacation with my dear sis-there wil be tales of fishing and picnics and campfires, but for this week I surely can't leave my blog readers without something to look at.

I present combo week.  Since I love to play with flowers, and come up with strange (or wonderful-you decide) combinations of plants in my pots and windowboxes and beds-each day this week I will highlight some, and let you know what plants I used in case you want to look for them (if I was smart enough to remember to save the tag...)

Today:  my front step pot.  I was inspired on a trip to Frattalone's ACE Hardware, (not my usual stop for plants).  But I had been there with Tracy, helping her pick out some plants, and noticed some varieties that caught my eye.  I toodled on back, and had the place to myself (since it was that day last week when it was 95 and humid and we thought St. Paul had been transported to Louisiana...).

It started with a 'Sedona' Coleus, soon joined by a red New Guinea Impatien (can you believe those leaves?  of course, I lost the label and can't tell you the official name of it), filled in with red Salvia, sparked with an 'Angel Wing' Begonia (which I picked up last summer at a yard sale, and pampered in my house all winter), an "Illusion Midnight Lace' Sweet Potato Vine for contrast and filled in with Lemon Mint for some fresh greenness and smell factor.  Yes, I overstuff my pots, it's a rule I learned from the garden center in my neighborhood.  The more the merrier! (and the prettier presentation).

Maybe the heat inspired the hot color combo, no matter, it really works on my front step, as an intro to what you will see in the rest of my yard.  Stay tuned!