Designing With Color

     When adding new plants to the garden, it's so tempting to want something new and different.  What we already have seems boring.,  We want to mix it up a little!    Many people add to their gardens a little at a time with one or two of each new plant.  After doing this for a while, they realize that it doesn't look the way they had envisioned their yard to be, but they aren't sure what 's wrong.  It turned out to be a mish-mash of colors, heights and shapes without a unifying theme.
    
     One way to avoid this look is to choose a color palette for each area of your yard.  When there are too many colors in one space, the eye can't rest in any one place.  You are bombarded with so much stimulus, that you don't know where to look.  A garden that is limited in color appears more unified and soothing.  It can be difficult to be selective about color choices.  There are so many gorgeous plants and we want them all!  If you want, you can have them all - just not in the same part of your landscape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my front yard garden.  It's shades of purple, blue, pink. and white.  I don't feel limited at all.  There are so many variations in size, texture and height and the garden changes continually from May to September.  It never looks the same two weeks in a row.

 

 







 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are things that are in bloom currently.  Later in summer there will be many other plants in similar shades, so that as one ceases to provide color, another will take over.  The garden will tranistion into fall, finishing with purple asters and pink Clara Curtis daisies. 






Meanwhile, the backyard is blooming in warm  colors - shades of yellow, orange, and red.  You can have every color of the rainbow!  More on the topic of a unified garden design in my next post.