Inspiration is found all around us, simple variations of life not lived, never held nor witnessed again.

Let the fire of your passion wash over the surrounding landscape.

If you're like me, you love red. The deeper and more soothing the reds the better. A red garden doesn't have to be a garish instillment to your landscape; it can be a quiet retreat where you can truly relax and enjoy yourself. The truth is, not much can make a statement as silently, as boldly as "Red".

Crimson rains falls silently, pitter-pat-pitter-patting unapologetically, boldly forming pools of heartfelt thought.
.
.......

Drape your area with rich or bright reds. From the tallest tree to the shortest stem. You really can not have too much RED!

.. With a garden of radiant reds you're sure to get a few passersby stopping in to compliment you on your color of choice. So break out the tea and ready yourself for a friendly stroll. Just make sure to bring a shovel as you're bound to wanna share some of these richly colored beauties. A good rule of thumb when planning a single color garden is to stay within the same hue, if you deviate try and do so gradually so as not to shock the senses. Planting your color-gardens in large drifts helps to add a sense of being and calm to the landscape, get too erratic with it and it all seems a bit psycho.
The Dragons Blood Tree will make a true statement when you score the bark and show your friends and family how it bleeds. Why not tell them of its reputed medicinal purposes as well. A true conversation starter to be sure!

Orchids seem to truly show off with their eerily silent beauty. Try adding several varieties, draped from trees and perched on logs. .. Hover over each photo for the name of the plants! Make sure to remove any deviantly colored plants from your gardens. You'd be surprised at how fast and ruthlessly an entire garden can revert back to it's original, natural colors. (White/Pink/Not the right red.) Foliage plants are a great addition as well. There are many with red leaves that would be perfect for under planting various species. They can also work as fast growing and inexpensive fillers. Let your heart be your guide here!

From the most velvety petal to one with more luster, try adding different types of petals and foliage to you garden. It will help add depth to an already deep area! For an added splash, try setting up a small container pond in the same area you have cactus and succulents. Toss in a gorgeous red waterlily and let the raves and craves start! .....

. .. Don't be afraid to add a different color to your red garden. As long as it has the same tone it will look absolutely divine! -....-- There truly is no other color as decadent and delicious as red. The next time you're out plant shopping and see a pretty petal, try asking yourself, is it time for "A Red Garden?" Yes, yes it is!

..Try adding some blue (or another color) against your foil of red.

To impart a sense of serenity and calm, may I suggest adding your gardens in large and lazy drifts? Allow them to gently flow into one another as this will permit each tone to meld together effortlessly. You can have as many different shades of red as you want if you keep this suggestion in mind. Large swatches arranged in this manner seem to work better than single plants, allow for one or two (more if it's a large garden or has many twists and turns to hide some from immediate view) focal plants. A nice Chilean Fire Bush would look nice under planted with various lilies and lantanas. You could even use all this red as a foil for a different colored plant, say maybe Blue Wax Flower 'Kiwi Blue' or Blue Marguerite 'Cape Town Blue' Daisies. Or maybe not even blue at all! It's your garden, make it your own beautiful retreat.

Shrimp and Daisies!

A person could even paint a bench or an arbor a nice color other than red to really make the space POP. A nice blue (or just about any color) can help bring a bright spot to the area giving people a resting place to look at before being drawn back into your sea of scarlet. I must say, I AM partial to those Cape Blues up there, so lovely!

Until we talk again,

Jocie.

Thanks to everyone for the use of their photos, and thanks to the PlantFiles as well!