Basic Principles for Using Color in the Garden

Color plays such an important role in how we feel about a space, whether it’s inside or outside the home. Learn basic principles for using color in the garden in this video by P. Allen Smith:

Color can be divided into three different groups or blocks: warm, neutral and hot colors. Neutrals like green and gray make the perfect backdrop for a planting.

Choose a single color family like purple, blue or pink and paint with a broad brush, planting a big drift of plants that bloom en masse. Staying in the same color families in different areas makes the garden feel more harmonious.

Foliage like coleus can bring bold color and can be juxtaposed with bright colored flowers, yielding interesting combinations. You can rotate your color out with each season, going with pastel colors in the spring, bold colors in the summer and autumnal colors in the fall.