Five Tips to Create Explosive Color in your Garden

Guest Blogger #585, Entry #1350, June 29, 2012

Your garden is a space to relax with family, express your style and improve the curb appeal of your home. When you consider the plants you’re going to use, be sure to take garden color combinations into account. The plants you choose should blend together well and accentuate the focal points of your garden. When coming up with a garden color scheme, factor in the color of your home, existing landscape features and, of course, your favorite colors. No matter how much experience you have in the garden, these tips will help you create a garden color combination that enhances your home’s beauty.

Use a similar flower color scheme as your exterior home

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1. Mirror colors in the garden off the house:

The plants located nearest to your home should be chosen to match or offset the colors of your siding and trim. If you have darker siding, choose lighter plants and vice versa and to add depth. Use bright or contrasting colors to draw attention to focal points like a footpath or the front door.

2. Know which flowers to use for blue or purple garden color schemes:

Know which flowers to choose for purple or blue color schemes

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Blues can be a beautiful accent for any garden; you just need to learn how to mix styles and colors. Complement bright blues with bold yellows, greens and pinks. Use lavenders, whites and deep purples to complement light blues.

a. Hydrangeas work in half-shade and half-sunlight and just need moist soil.
b. Perennial geraniums look lovely mixed with annual spring bulbs for white and yellow tulips and crocuses.
c. Brunnera grows well in shade, and white and yellow daffodils complement it nicely.
d. Blue-blossoming vines like morning glory or clematis should be planted against the house, garden shed or arbor with light colored climbing roses mixed in.
e. Violets, lilacs, lavender and butterfly bushes are perfect when you want complementary purples.

3. Choose the right flowers for red, yellow and orange garden color combinations:

When you want something a little more red-hot, choose bright reds, yellows and oranges for a splash of spicy color.

a. Mums are a hearty perennial that bloom through fall.
b. Zinnias are available as both annuals and perennials and bloom in a variety of climates.
c. Poppies and peonies are easy to grow. Plant poppies in colder weather and peonies in warm, sunny spots.
d. Lilies, marigolds, helenium and butterfly weed offer brilliant orange hues
e. Sunflowers, Black-eyed Susans, daffodils, tulips and irises offer complementary yellow accents

4. Use a variety of greens to offset all colors:

From evergreens to shrubbery, various hues of green can be used to offset whatever garden color combination you choose. Plant herbs that will brighten both your garden and your meals. Add juniper for a rugged brush look that will fill out corners of the yard. Incorporate sculpted hedgerow bushes for privacy and hosts for contrast with your other plants.

Brighten your outdoor home with a garden!

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5. Consider more than just flower blossoms:

Flowers aren’t the only source of color in the garden. Consider fruits and vegetables, bark patterns and leaf shapes and colors, as well as the changes in garden color schemes that come with each season.

Once you’ve chosen and created the perfect garden color scheme for your home, make sure the open yard that surrounds it is neat and trim. Check your lawn mower parts each spring to make sure you’re ready for summer mowing. Have a large space to maintain? Consider a lawn tractor for easier mowing. Remember that keeping the blades sharp and replacing any worn or damaged lawn tractor parts will help you get the best out of your machine and your colorful yard.

For more garden ideas on Stagetecture, click here.