colours

Combining colour effectively can mean the difference between creating a gorgeous garden and merely growing pretty plants.

Mixing colours well was a difficult task at first. I found a nice balance of deep pink and orange in one garden (with a touch of yellow and white). Though it might not be the first colour combination you think of, pink and orange can be a great-looking duo in the garden. I had Cannas, Hydrangeas, Daylilies and Asiatic Lilies of these colours and I thought they created a sense of warmth and intensity together. Another reason why pink and orange look so natural together is ever notice how many pink flowers have orange highlights or centres ? I have found that it’s all in the little details when choosing the perfect combination.
Plants to try –
Peruvian Lily ‘Pacific Sunset Peachy Orange’, Clematis ‘Ernest Markham’, Marigold, deep orange Butterfly Weed and Cosmos.

A colour combo I would love to try is purple and yellow. Dark purple is powerful, able to evoke royalty and mixing in bright yellow will create a visual punch. They look nice against dark green foliage. I think the softer shades of purple and yellow are likely to look washed out in the bright sun or will blend into the background too much.
Plants to try –
Gloriosa Daisy ‘Irish Eyes’, Angelonia Purple and Creeping Zinnia ‘Sunbini’.

How about burgundy and green ? The deep and rich colour of burgundy is perfect for an elegant, sophisticated look. I like the look of the two foliage colours together. To get burgundy in the garden there are dozens of Coleus varieties, also Crimson Pygmy barberry and Coral Bells. To step up the interest even more, I like the idea of Tulips in the spring. A deep burgundy ‘Queen of Night’ Tulip would be lovely in a combination with variegated Sweet Iris, Cushion Spurge and Coral Bells ‘Plum Pudding’.
Plants to try –
Coleus ‘Mosaik Lava Red’, ‘Burgundy Sun’, ‘Beckwith’s Gem’, Boston Fern and Sweet Woodruff.

It’s definitely easy to get carried away when visiting a nursery. I have learned it’s a much better idea to go in with a plan and select a colour scheme – centre your choices around one or two hues and limit your plant choices to those colours. It will make for a nice, well-balanced garden.