Garden Color Schemes Dallas TX

This simple tool, available at almost any art store, demonstrates the relationships of colors, based on the rainbow. Colors adjacent to one another on the wheel share common pigments and are considered analogous colors; when combined in design they create harmony. Complementary colors are directly opposite each other on the color wheel and produce contrast when used in compositions. “Most effective color schemes are based either on contrast or on harmony.”

For those gardeners who enjoy bold and dramatic designs, there are several ways to achieve this showy outcome. Contrasting color schemes produce excitement and command attention. The most striking contrasts are generated by combining complementary colors from the color wheel, i.e. red and green, orange and blue, and yellow and violet. These hues contain no common pigments and by pairing opposites, each individual color is intensified creating a dramatic effect. A border of predominantly yellow, purple, and white flowers produces a vibrant display.

An exciting picture can also be painted using a harmonious color scheme. This approach uses three or four adjacent colors having one color in common. While harmonious colors present a pleasing, unified design, if the warm colors of red, orange and yellow are planted together, a stimulating portrait results. These vivid colors that we associate with the sun or fire are bold and aggressive and appear to advance.

Similarly, light colors advance due to their greater reflectance, particularly against the natural backdrop of green foliage, dark earth or mulch. Even pastel colors, such as lemon yellow, pink, lavender, peach and pale blue, are light and bright and can produce a dramatic display when planted against a dark background or viewed in shady areas despite our sense that they are soft colors.

Should you prefer to create a restful retreat, the use of rich, saturated, dark colors can help you to achieve this goal. The colors green, blue and violet, in particular, are usually associated with peaceful waters, blue skies, or tranquil settings. They are known as the cool colors for the soothing and calm response they evoke and appear to recede in the landscape producing a serene atmosphere and a greater sense of space.

Similarly, muted colors, many of which contain gray tones and consequently lower color saturation, also serve to create a softer, more restful design. Silver-foliaged plants are known as the peacekeepers of the garden. Their neutral color helps to blend, soften, and unify plantings. Repetition of their soft tones along the expanse of a bright polychromatic border can bring order to an otherwise diverse collection of colors.

Keep in mind that the availability of light plays a major role throughout the day in how we perceive the impact of color in our landscapes.

Just as colors and styles in fashion and home furnishings tend to vary from year to year, so color schemes in our gardens often change as our gardens evolve. Thirty years ago, poppy orange-red, avocado and harvest-gold were the hot colors of home decor, and my gardens reflected that color trend. A pastel palette gradually replaced the fiery theme, but in recent years, we have come full circle as the bright, vibrant, hot colors take center stage once again.

As you envision your gardens in full bloom, consider the emotional impact you would like your plantings to convey. Different combinations of flower and foliage color can be used to create many diverse effects. Success with color in the garden is an acquired art and requires observation and practice.

Suzanne Mahler is an avid gardener, photographer and lecturer who has been developing the 1.5-acre property surrounding her home in Hanover, Mass., for more than 30 years. She is a member of two local garden clubs, past President of the New England Daylily Society, an overseer for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and is employed at two garden centers.