Designed to Trick the Eye

The pastel bed

The pastel bed is at last beginning to take on its full summer hues. It is supposed to be confined to a colour palette of whites, pinks, blues and purples.  Earlier this year it was rather dominated by the large clumps of blue cransebill, which I have already thinned out quite substantially. However, right now the eryngiums, white astilbes, achilliea, aliums,  and gaura are all coming into full bloom.
In many respects it is a pity that this bed does not occupy a more prominent position in the garden. It is viewed at its best when ascending the steps to the middle lawn. However, from the patio and kitchen window your eye can be drawn to the pastel bed because the pinks and whites at the top of the living wall seem to blend into it, a trompe l'oeil. This trick of seemingly blending the bed into a larger area also applies above and behind the bed, as it merges into the pastel hues of the sweet peas which have been trained up the side of the shed.

Consequently, even though the pastel bed is not centre stage in the garden, the planting which surrounds it has helped to make it that much more noticeable.