Turn Your Garden into a Masterpiece with Color by: Aenne K. Carver photos by: Gene Sasse |
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The colors in your garden influence its overall ambience. Polish your color sense and then generate the mood you desire. With the artistic use of color, you will be able to paint your garden into a work of art. To understand the use and function of color frees the artist within the gardener. The basis of color theory is that color is a characteristic of light. Color theory is complex and takes study to fully absorb it, but a gardener can pick up a few easy concepts that will improve their garden. To find a pleasing color palette, first pick colors that appeal to you, complement your home, or add to the overall mood of your garden. When describing a home, or a particular flower, color is the most significant factor.
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The use of color to heal and soothe has a long history. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks built healing temples that used color for treatment. Color therapy is still used in Chinese and Indian medicine. To explore the influence of color, get a basic color wheel. Colors that are side by side on the wheel, are easily combined. Another option is the monochromatic look, made by mixing different values of the same color. For example, you could plant: light purple cosmos, deep lavender petunias, and a dark purple verbena for a monochromatic border. Additionally, white gardens are ideal for those not confident in combining colors. White is not truly a color, you won’t find it on the color wheel, but it looks bright in the garden. White blends with other colors, and makes adjacent hues look crisper. White is an advancing color, meaning that it comes toward your eyes and does not recede at night. |
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If you look at your garden through squinted eyes, note that the advancing colors dominate. When you design a garden for evenings, use advancing hues, like whites, yellows, and pale shades. Remember that dark colors like purple and blues recede at night, and in the shade. Warm colors like red, orange, and yellows bring a dynamic atmosphere to the garden. Bright colors can be busy, and an entire warm colored garden would be flamboyant. So use caution when designing with warm colors. Red is a theatrical color, evoking masculine energy. Yellow reflects light and has a glow. Using such colors will make your garden feel welcoming and exciting. |
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Cool colors, on the other hand, are restful and soothing. Blues, greens, and purples are called cool because they are associated with things like water, ice, and grass. Cool pastels like lavender and soft blue, make a romantic garden. Such shades are more subdued, and serene. Besides for being warm or cool, each color produces emotional responses. A blend of cool and warm colors adds visual excitement. Complementary colors are opposites on the color wheel, and make for bold contrasts. Artistic gardeners use complementary colors when designing beds, like teaming yellow/orange sunflowers with purple/blue larkspurs.
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Do you want a bold tropical design? Then, plant warm colors, like bold coleus, and hot cannas. Do you desire a restful retreat? If so, temper your colors, by planting pastel flowers, and using soft grey plants as accents. Revisit the basics, by studying the color wheel, then branch out into your garden masterpiece. |
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