On the grounds of Perry Wellness Center, the vivid colors of late spring flowers capture every eye. Particularly striking are multi-colored flowers and plantings. Some flowers, such as the rose shown here, display more than one color due to internal growth signals. Other plants have been assisted by the careful hands of staff.  

Grafting techniques, for example, are used to produce multiple colors on a single plant – or what market manager Kelly Jansen refers to as “variegation creativity.” In other instances, flowers of different colors are mixed together in plantings, found throughout the campus arbors and walking trails. The second photo shows one example: a basket of petunias sharing space with small variegated purple and white small flowers.

“I like to see where these colorful mixtures appear in our extensive gardens,” Kelly says. Sightseers and customers seem to agree!