Landscaping is not just the placement of gardens, waterscapes, and hardscapes; it is also the color. Working the right hues into your accessories and décor, as well as your garden plants can accent your landscape and create a flowing and beautiful place to enjoy your time outside.
1. GO BRIGHT!
Reds and oranges tend to be real eye-catchers. Using brightly colored plants can not only highlight your favorite parts of your landscape but also drawing attention away from areas such as trash can storage or air conditioner units. Bright colors remind us of warm tropical places and excite our imagination. Do not be afraid to go a little bold!
2. USE CONTRAST
Contrasting colors help make your yard pop. Overdoing any one color can make your landscape appear overly dull, or otherwise garish. Green grasses with green shrubs and green trees may create an appealing and calming monochromatic look, but is not very showy. Contrasting your foliage with yellows and purples, or reds and greens will give your yard a spectacular appearance that will draw many compliments from the curb. You can layer colors not only by the depth in your yard but also by the height of the plant. Use a color wheel to help you determine contrasting colors.
3. PLANT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR
Some flowers will bloom for an entire season while others may only flower in a certain month. Plan your yard in a way that allows your landscape to have something of interest year round. In spring, we can enjoy the bright yellow forsythia, peonies, and azaleas. Summer brings a plethora of colors with crepe myrtles, zinnias, and hydrangea coming to bloom. Fall colors include the pineapple sage, monkshood, and chrysanthemums. Snapdragons, Iceland Poppies, and cyclamen enjoy the cooler weather that we see in winter.
4. COLOR YOUR HARDSCAPES
Traditionally, our hardscapes are earthy stone colors of gray and tan. There is no hard and fast rule that says this must be so. Try using accent pavers, to brighten an area. Painting your pergolas and arbors may create a new and fresh look. Creating a mosaic within your hardscape will attract attention by color and interest. If such a change seems too drastic, use lights to accent your hardscapes. LED and low voltage lighting is an inexpensive and easy way to transform the look and mood of your landscape.
Do not overlook the importance of adding color into your landscape design. Color can accent important areas in your yard, create moods, and blends hardscapes with gardens to create a full and complete look. Contrasting warm and cool colors adds an element of interest, while combinations of complementary colors will create a flow that is easy to the eyes. Color affects how we feel and how we respond. Establish a landscape that you will enjoy coming home to, and create it in the colors that you love!