Blossoms, berries and foliage are to the garden what paint is to a work of art. In both instances, color is a vehicle of expression and creativity and is provocative in its very essence. Unlike a work of art, color is fleeting and transitory in the garden. The effective use of the gardening palette, therefore, presents a challenge in creating an appealing and interesting succession of seasonal interest. To accomplish this end, I find it frequently takes as much time to select the specific plants as it does to design the layout of an entire garden. To add to the equation, plants should also be selected based on the conditions they need and their type - sun or shade, deciduous or evergreen, perennials or annuals, etc.
In the garden as in interior design, developing a color scheme and staying within it can bring pleasing effects and keep the choices more manageable. Knowing the language of color isn’t required for obtaining good results in the garden but may be helpful to consider when planning a particular setting.

THE COLOR WHEEL
The color wheel is essentially the rainbow with colors arranged in a circular sequence based on their relationship to each other. The primary colors (red, yellow and blue) alternate with the secondary colors (orange, green and purple), which are blends of the primaries. Black added to a color creates a shade, whereas white added to a color creates a tint (commonly referred to as a pastel). Tertiary colors are blends of the assortment.
The strategic use of color has great power to create mood, inspire activity or promote relaxation. Warm or “hot” colors, such as reds, oranges and yellows, generally produce excitement and evoke passion, warmth and security. They tend to advance visually so as to foreshorten space and can be great for manipulating the eye to move to a particular area or focal point. Conversely, cool colors such as greens, blues and purples, produce the opposite feelings and generate a scene that is calm and serene. Cool colors (and fine textures) tend to recede and add an illusion of depth and distance.

WARM OR COOL
Many gardens contain warm and cool colors, and they can be effectively used together as long as the warm colors are a much smaller percentage of the total color mix. Otherwise, warmer hues can overwhelm the scene. Keep in mind that blues, greens, neutral browns and grays are typically the garden’s backdrop, consisting of the sky, foliage and lawns and mulch, trunks and branches. Nature’s basic palette is a cool color assortment.
Color schemes and combinations are limited only by the imagination but can be categorized based on how colors play off one another. For instance, complementary colors (opposites on the color wheel) enhance and enliven each other, producing vibrant and stunning combinations. Such schemes should be used sparingly and carefully, because they are so powerful. Analogous colors (adjacent on the color wheel) can result in subtle, tranquil scenes or more vivid effects. A monochromatic scheme can be very effective in producing a sophisticated and striking appeal, such as an enchanting all-white moon garden.
The quality and type of light that are present play a fundamental role in our perception of color. Without light, there is no color, and the time of year and type of light (full sun or shade) produce dramatically different results. Our individual reactions to color are also, by their very nature, subjective and personal, and therefore, likes and dislikes can be quite surprising.

STRATEGIES FOR GARDEN COLOR
As noted, the garden is a continuum of seasons and color effects, of course, with the biggest color splashes occurring in the spring and summer. Spring-blooming bulbs, trees and shrubs start the show but last only brief periods. Interestingly, in Japanese gardening, this ephemeral show of color is thought of as the ideal aesthetic, with views, scale, foliage shades, texture and contrast taking a more prominent role in design.
In American gardens, we love our seasons of color and select plants to achieve long-lasting shows. Perennials are often thought of as the way to go, but they are not the boon to the garden that is sometimes thought. They do come back every year, but many also bloom for a very brief period, and some set seeds or spread prolifically, causing major maintenance issues. Annuals typically provide the longest bloom periods but do need replanting seasonally. Many need deadheading (removing spent blossoms) to maintain strong bloom, and of course, watering and care during our sometimes challenging summers.
Autumn has its own particular color palette, with its fiery hues taking center stage. The winter garden is beautiful, too, with berries, textures, plant structure and earthy tones making the subtle show. Containers are great for any season and offer flexibility for adding instant color exactly where you want it.


Favorite Colorful & Reliable Plants
SPRING
Pansies and snapdragons - plant in fall or spring/protect from deer
Bulbs - crocus, daffodils, species tulips, planted in fall
Peonies - short bloom perennial- but oh what a show!
Creeping phlox - short bloom/dramatic color/old fashioned perennial
Coral bells, Huchera - many cultivars/perennial, colorful foliage for three seasons
Anemones
Fall or Spring blooming perennial
Many blooming trees & shrubs

SUMMER
Impatiens many types - look for new cultivars
Moon vine huge fragrant white blooms
Coleus great cultivars w/ colorful foliage
Zinnias classic southern annual flower
Lantana new cultivars last until frost
Wave petunias not your ordinary petunia
Black eyed susan, Rudbeckia long bloom, many new cultivars/ perennial
Cone flower, Echinacea long bloom, many new cultivars/ perennial
Summer phlox upright cousin of creeping phlox/perennial
Coreopsis moonbeam new cultivars perennial
Knock out roses can bloom until frost

FALL
Asters I’m not a big fan but some love them
Pink Muhly Grass and other ornamental grasses great plumes and color
Camellias I prefer fall blooming Camellia sasanqua
Chrysanthemums just say fall! plants are brittle- so handle with care
Sedum Fall blooming varieties/perennial
Toad lilly Tricyrtis hirta long blooming sade perennial

LATE WINTER
Daphne - shrub with fragrant blooms/ tricky, but worth a go
Paperbush Edgeworthia - shrub with fragrant, yellow blooms
Witch Hazel Hamamelis - shrub with cappery or yellow blooms
Helleborus - a standard for shade but great long blooming evergreen perennial/ many hybrids
Carolina jasmine vine

Vicki O’Neal, owner of FORM & FUNCTION, provides commercial and residential interior and landscape design. She is a professional member of ASID, VA Certified Interior Designer (CID), Master Gardener, and a VA Certified Landscape Designer and Horticulturist. The material contained in articles written by Vicki O’Neal is intended for general information only. 804.897.8558. www.form-and-function.us.

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