Planning a new garden? Some interesting thoughts on color…

Blue is one of the cooler colors in landscape design, bringing a soothing element to the garden, and has a visually receding effect, helping to make a small space appear larger. We are most discerning with blue, and can see smaller variations in the value and hue of blue than any other color.  It is a color very few people dislike, including mosquitoes, which are attracted to the color blue twice as much as any other.

Green occupies more space in the spectrum visible to the human eye, and is second only to blue as a favorite color. Green is the pervasive color in the natural world, and is seen as tranquil and refreshing, with a natural balance of cool and warm undertones.

Purple is a hot color in garden design right now, and exudes a sense of mystic and royal qualities. Like blue, purple is a cool color; making areas of the landscape recede. It is also calming to mind & nerves, however, strangely enough, most men are not fans of purple.

Red has more personal associations than any other color. Recognized as a stimulant, red is inherently exciting, and draws attention, therefore can immediately focus attention on a particular element.

Red is considered a warm color in landscape design, and will give the illusion of coming forward in the landscape like other warm tones & light colors do, and its appearance in the garden has an energetic effect. You can create mystery in your garden plots by combining deep reds, such as burgundy, maroon, and russet, with equally dark purple and chocolate brown. Such sultry combinations create the illusion of depth and hidden distances.

Yellow is the most complex color for our eye to see because it takes more chemicals in the eye’s receptors to see than any other color. It is considered a warm color in landscape design, and its appearance in the garden has a stimulating effect.

Orange, a close relative of red, sparks more controversy than any other hue. There is usually strong positive or negative association to orange, and true orange generally elicits a stronger "love it" or "hate it" response than other colors. Interestingly, some of the tones of orange such as terra cotta, peach or rust have very broad appeal.