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JoAnne Skelly: Inspiring landscapes

JoAnne Skelly’s friend Peggy has colorful flowers backdropped by white picket fencing.

JoAnne Skelly’s friend Peggy has colorful flowers backdropped by white picket fencing.

By JoAnne Skelly

Monday, May 31, 2021

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I love when a landscape design reaches out and grabs my attention, beautiful possibly for its coordinated use of plants, or for a lovely mix of color.
My friend Peggy recently sent photos of a friend’s landscape in San Luis Obispo. The lilac-colored house has a Victorian feel to it with scalloped shingled walls, a wraparound porch and a big bay window, so it’s exceptionally charming in its own right. However, what she has done with her colorful flowers backdropped by white picket fencing adds an enchanting finish.
JoAnne Skelly’s friend Peggy has a lilac-colored house has a Victorian feel to it with scalloped shingled walls, a wraparound porch and a big bay window. 
The landscape design isn’t complex, formal or overly pruned with little green meatballs. It’s more an English garden type of mix delightfully blending color and variety of flowers.When I saw the photo of the salmon, yellow and peach-colored roses in front of the striking pickets and posts of the white fence, my gardening self was elated. The roses are underplayed by pale pink geraniums, orange nasturtiums and big burgundy poppies. What a great interplay of color and texture! The steps leading up to the front door have a variety of containers on them filled with draping colorful plants. It’s so inviting. All of this makes me want to see the entire yard. I find myself asking what does the backyard look like?
A beautiful landscape is not just about curb appeal, which in this case is awesome, but it is also about pleasure, not only for the gardener but also for anyone else who experiences the beauty as they walk by or visit. It’s about the pleasure of planning out the color scheme and plant selection, digging in warm soil, planting flowers and then nurturing them. There’s gratification in seeing it all come together in such appealing splendor.
While we have climate challenges here in Northern Nevada such as wind, drought and intense sun, we still can achieve a flower border mix that delights the eye. We just have to approach it slightly differently. We have to amend the soil to improve water-holding capacity and fertility. We have to select hardy plants that tolerate wind, lack of water and hot sun. It is possible.
Some excellent plant choices for a Northern Nevada flower garden include roses (yes, they do well here), black-eyed Susans, yarrows, coreopsis, thymes, sedums, lavenders, sunroses, hardy iceplant, snow-in-summer, catmint, agastache, hollyhocks, coneflower and gauras to name a few. Explore the May Arboretum in Reno to get ideas. Check out Greenhouse Garden Center for great selections.
Create a landscape that brings you visual joy.
JoAnne Skelly is associate professor & extension educator emerita at University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

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