I find that I prefer really fluffy, ruffly, gaudy flowers.  I find this puzzling because I am not typically a ruffly, fancy girl.   My wardrobe is pretty sedate as I spent a good chunk of my adulthood in solid black during my years working as a hairstylist in a salon.  It has taken me years to comfortably wear colored or print clothing and I still typically favor very neutral colors and classic styles.  My home has some strong color but nothing is particularly fancy or "shabby chic" or anything along those lines.

So why do I like such outrageously gaudy flowers?   I love roses, puffy phlox, hydrangeas, peonies and dahlias.  I love zinnias and petunias and verbena.  I always plant geraniums, euphorbia and sweet potato vine that creeps everywhere.  I adore larkspur, double hollyhocks and showy daylilies.  I could keep going but you get the idea.

I've been planning for two new beds that we will be putting in and planting this fall.  One will have a crape myrtle as the anchor and then have a mix of peonies and roses.  I've been pleasantly surprised at how much I really like the single blooms on Coral Flower Carpet roses, so I will be sticking with those.    I am most certainly going with Coral Sunset peonies because they are pretty and apparently have strong stems to hold up the flower heads.  I am trying to focus on structure over blooms and it is very hard for me.  I need to find some solid evergreen plants to anchor the beds.  Maybe I should explore ornamental grasses a bit more.  I'm not really sure at this point, I just know that I need to continue to think and plan and consider plants that I wouldn't typically be drawn to.

Suggestions are appreciated!

-Jess