Red Flowers in the Spring Garden

I'm not fond of red flowers in the garden, usually. To me, they clash with pinks and yellows, and thus destroy my careful plantings. (Sure, yellow, orange and red can look great together; I'm just not sure that my garden has room enough for a bed like this.)

Colours that clash are more forgivable in winter and in the exuberance of early spring, when you're grateful for all the colours of the rainbow. We've had so many cool, wet days lately (not that I'm complaining) that, while it's November, it certainly feels a bit like early spring.

But right now there's two very different red blooms, and I smile every time I look at them.

Near the house I've placed a pot of perennial Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Valentine‘ (Syn. Dicentra spectabilis ‘Valentine‘, above) with those red-and-white bleeding heart flowers. Bought last year, it's sent up leaves that are dark and reddish, but are now near-green. (My white Lamprocapnos in its large pot has perished. Did I let it get too wet? Too dry? Dang, I wish I knew.)

Tropaeolum tricolor, above, also, has red (and black and yellow) flowers, if much smaller, and dainty to boot - a quality I'm fond of.

A climber to 2m (so far), delicate-looking and demure (butter wouldn't melt in it's golden mouth)...but I'm surprised by a few things. One - it's there. When did I plant it? Two - how did it grow (so far) in total neglect? - I thought it was difficult! - but no, it must like being rather wet in winter and terribly dry in summer, so lucky me. Three - how did get to 2m high, laughing at me, without me noticing? (Let's not think about that one.) And - 4 - how did it tolerate close-by plantings of 3, yes, 3 clematis and even sweet peas, too?

Let's take lots of photos because, frankly, I don't trust this sweet beauty. Look at me flowering...and then watch me die - don't laugh, it's all too common in the garden at Possum Creek.

Let's enormously enjoy the ephemeral, dainty show and...just applaud wildly if it ever happens again.

Jill Weatherhead is horticulturist, writer, garden designer and principal at Jill Weatherhead Garden Design who lives in the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne, and works throughout Victoria. (www.jillweatherheadgardendesign.com.au)