Colour in the garden

Using colour in the garden is much like selecting paint from a paint colour chart, the selection of plants will be endless.

A colour is determined by the hue it is for example red, blue or yellow. It is described by its intensity or strength, for example bright or dull. It is then determined by its tone of either light or dark.

You do need to consider both the plant’s flower colour and foliage colour. These colours will have to work together to create your garden like the way colours work together in a painting.

The way you group these colours is a matter of taste, there is not a right or wrong way. Sometimes gardeners use the colour wheel when selecting their plants for the garden. Many people would be familiar with the colour wheel which was originally developed by Sir Isaac Newton.

The “Colour Wheel” has been modified over the years. The wheel divides the colour spectrum into cool and warm colours. Starting with the fiery reds and golden yellows the wheel spins through the more subtle greens and then ends up with the fresh blues, violets and purples. If you do want to plant out in colour themes you can use the colour wheel. It is a great tool.

Contrasting colours are those that are opposite each other on the colour wheel, like purple and orange. These tend to have a more eye-catching effect. Each colour is competing for an equal amount of attention, harmonizing colours are those that are next to each other on the colour wheel like blue and yellow. These tend to complement each other and have a more relaxing effect.

All different colours will give you a rainbow effect. This may look chaotic to some people, others will find it to be a spectacular joyful display which is playful and fun.

Monochrome – using one colour in the garden could be considered boring by some but to the more conservative gardener it may give a calming effect. You can also select flower colour combinations that you like. I love to use yellow and white together or purple with shades of orange or any tones of blue with white or a pale lemony yellow.

• Topics:

• Gardening