A Little Guide for the Laidback Colorist…

You’ve probably heard of the rules of color in gardening: colors that push things away, colors that bring things together, the color wheel, happy combinations, etc. Maybe you’re even trying to understand and follow them? Good luck! They’re about as esoteric as it gets: not at all easy to put into practice.

Personally, I don’t believe in these rules at all and never use them when I plan a layout. Okay, I know there are people (I call them “colorists”) who believe in them wholeheartedly. Currently, these colorists dominate landscape design. However, looking at what’s happening elsewhere in the world, in France, England, and California, for example, I sincerely believe that their dominance is about to come to an end. This is good news for amateur gardeners who have suffered under the yoke of these rules, which are as difficult to understand as they are to apply.

But Where Do These Rules on the Use of Color in the Garden Come From?

From the field of painting, of course!

After all, painters also work with colors and, over many years of research, have found ways to use colors that help them in their field.

However, these “color rules” were never intended to be applied to landscaping. Their purpose was to create a sense of depth on a flat canvas, a two-dimensional medium. Hence the idea of “colors that bring things closer” and “colors that push things away.” An effort to create three dimensions where there are only two. But as far as I know, landscaping is three-dimensional. Worse, some colorists, finding that there aren’t enough rules already, have taken to imposing their own tastes in design. Like the teacher who forbids his students from using yellow plants in their design plans. Lucky he didn’t have me as a student: I would have deliberately put yellow everywhere!

But to disregard all your preconceived ideas about color without offering anything in return would leave you in utter confusion… and I would never do that to you, dear readers. So, I’m offering you ten tips that are based more on common sense and experience than on theory, and that will make your designs look great, even if you don’t know anything about the “rules of color.” They’re not really new, but they’ll give you good results.

Colors in the Garden, Common Sense

1. Use plants you like in colors you like. Success guaranteed! How can you be anything but unhappy if you use things you hate, like when you let others impose their color choices on you?
2. Plant in patches of color. Otherwise, the effect of each color will simply be too diluted. If you’re going to have red, you might as well have red that stands out. To create a splash of color, group identical plants together in clusters of 10 to 15 for small plants, five to nine for medium-sized plants, and three for larger plants. Only plants that are truly imposing in size have enough presence to be used individually.
3. Repeat the patches. Harmony comes much less from the choice of colors than from their repetition. Repeat the same patch at least twice (three times or more in larger gardens) and the eye will always find the arrangement harmonious, regardless of the choice of color.
4. Don’t try to make “happy combinations.” There is nothing more frustrating than trying to combine one shade with another. First of all, the effect is never the same in the garden as it is on paper, probably because paper is white and a garden is green… but above all, it is almost impossible to have two plants that go well together in bloom at the same time.
5. Use white or gray accents to tone things down if you’re worried that a combination is too garish. Simply separate the two “offensive” colors with plants that have white flowers or gray or silver foliage, and the contrast will be softened.
6. Use more pale colors in the shade and darker colors in the sun.Whites, pale pinks, and other pastel colors literally illuminate the shade because they reflect light, but they can also be dazzling if they are too concentrated in sunny spots. In the sun, try dark colors (navy blue, purple, brown, for example) to absorb annoying reflections.
7. Avoid overly perfect symmetry in plantings. No straight lines, perfect triangles, identical plants on either side of a path, etc. All it takes is for one plant to die for your entire plan to go up in smoke. If you want straight lines or other geometric shapes, use inert materials that are much more reliable.
8. No, you don’t always have to use odd numbers! Do you really think the eye can tell the difference between 15 phlox plants and 16?
9. Be bold. It’s your garden, and you’ll never be happy with the results if you let other people’s ideas dictate what you do.
10. Finally, never follow the rules… not even these!

Bon plaisir avec tous vos projets d’aménagement!

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Larry Hodgson published thousands of articles and 65 books during his career, in French and English. His son, Mathieu, has made it his mission to make his father’s writings available to the public. This text was originally published in Fleurs, plantes et jardins in September 2001.