Along San Diego's bayfront, where sailboats and catamarans are more common than house cats, the climate is mild and — at times — damp. Most yards fronting the water are paved with ice plant ( Carpobrotus edulis).
But Dick and Bonnie Goff chose colorful garden flowers instead; in spring and summer, their yard billows with an abundance of roses and perennials.
When Dick started the garden eight years ago, he planted only hybrid teas. Since then, he has replaced many of them with floribundas, which have proven more mildew resistant in the Goffs’ garden.
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| Steven Gunther |
| Mildew-resistant floribunda roses, like fragrant peach ‘Flirtatious’, produce more blooms per cycle than hybrid teas. |
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He fills gaps between the roses with perennials such as white-and-pink Peruvian lilies, purple pincushion flowers, and searing yellow coreopsis; annuals such as Iceland and California poppies; and spring bulbs, including amaryllis, Dutch iris, and watsonias. Such cheerful blooms provide a bright contrast to the house and to the sailboats that glide by the garden on glittering days.Five great ideas from this garden
1. Plant closely. For a lush look, space plants more closely, and set low growers to spill over the edges of the beds.
2. Choose the right roses. Pink ‘Tournament of Roses’, red-and-gold ‘Chihuly’, fragrant yellow-red ‘Sheila’s Perfume’ (all floribundas); copper-gold ‘About Face’ grandiflora; and the yellow miniature ‘Sun Sprinkles’ thrive, even in coastal fog.
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| Steven Gunther |
| African corn lilies (planted in fall) transform the garden into a big bouquet in spring. |
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3. Use mildew-resistant hybrid teas. Try apricot-hued ‘Just Joey’, dark red ‘Kardinal’, bright red ‘Lovers Lane’, and coral-pink ‘New Zealand’.4. Add fragrance, motion, and floral “lace.” Butterfly-like gaura flowers atop threadlike stalks create a spatter-paint effect among larger blooms in the Goffs’ planting beds. Plumeria perfumes the air around the patio.
5. Use crisp white and sea blue as accents. Chairs, cushions, and an umbrella infuse the space with a summery, beachy look.
