A blazing and brazen hue of the most striking magenta comes courtesy of the Lychnis blooms here. While individually small, they still manage to cry out to be seen from across the yard – so intense and rich is their color. I admire and appreciate such tenacious refusal to be ignored, and it is the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. These days, however, I find myself equally enchanted by the foliage and stems literally beneath the show.
The lychnis has fuzzy leaves of silvery gray – a stark contrast in form, style and color from the blooms – and these leaves form a blanket of cooling hues to douse the flames of what they carry.
While I will always love bold and unbridled color, I find myself with a growing appreciation and enjoyment of the calmer, more neutral tones, such as the sage-like beauty of this lychnis patch. It has a calming element that appeals to those of us on the hunt for tranquility. The same thing has happened to my assessment and appreciation of the hosta. I’d always considered them dull and lifeless, not taking the time or shifting my perspective to see their beauty.
That bodes well for the lychnis, as the leaves are around for far longer than the flowers. Sometimes beauty is duration – simply surviving, and continuing to move forward, is what makes something beautiful.
