Colour is very much a matter of taste, and one gardener’s hot hue-of-the-hour can be another’s nightmare. Visiting a garden jam-packed with thousands of cheerily clashing tulips is not everyone’s cup of tea but, after a lacklustre winter, a defiant blaze of colour is joyous in a way that textbook taste might not be. ‘The plants haven’t read the rule book,’ murmured the owner of the particular garden I describe. Clearly neither had he, and it mattered not a jot.
Colour plays a vital role in every corner of a garden, exciting and stimulating, calming or cheering. Gardeners have at their disposal a superb palette of flowers and foliage that can be used as a design tool to express individuality, unify, produce special effects, or to manipulate perspective. Wood stains can dramatically alter the look of structures — pergolas, arches, arbours, obelisks, benches and garden buildings — coordinating or contrasting with an existing scheme. And then spot colour can be introduced through ornaments, furniture and furnishings.
At its most powerful, though, colour influences the overall mood in garden spaces large or small. Attitudes to colour come from deep within the subconscious, a combination of primitive instincts, cultural influences and the physical reactions of the eye to different colours. Each colour has individual properties, according to its position on the spectrum. Red is the furthest wavelength but visually appears closer, demanding attention, whereas violet and blue shades appear further away than hot tones. ‘They are serene and mentally calming, but may be perceived as cold,’ points out Angela Wright, author of The Beginner’s Guide to Colour Psychology.
Denne historien er fra May 2020-utgaven av Woman's Weekly Living Series.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2020-utgaven av Woman's Weekly Living Series.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Coping With...Feeling Dizzy
Dizziness is a common symptom that usually settles on its own and is rarely serious, says Dr Gill Jenkins
Let's Get Gardening
All the news and best buys hand-picked for you
8 Cancer Signs You Might Be Missing
A lump, unexplained pain or weight loss are changes we associate with cancer, but there are more subtle ones
Recipes For Your Fruit
Plums are such wonderfully diverse ingredients – they can be used in cakes, chutneys or even savoury dishes
The garden at NIGHT
If you’re in the dark about the lighting in your garden, now’s the chance to let it truly sparkle
TOP 10 Autumn hips and berries
Hips and berries can elevate the October garden with their gem-like colours
Perfect PLUMS
RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter shares his how-to on perfecting plum growing
Tall STORIES
Trees can bring structure, shade and fabulous colour to a garden, particularly through the autumn
ACE ACERS
With so many stunning varieties to choose from, acers are among the most beautiful trees for small gardens, says Adrienne Wild
Sensational SALVIAS
From early summer to late autumn, shrubby salvias will sparkle like jewels