Think back to elementary school art classes, and memories of the color wheel come rolling back. Primary colors red, yellow, and blue cannot be mixed or created from any other colors. Secondary colors orange, green, and purple are made by blending equal amounts of their primary parents.
In theory, this is child's play. In the garden, however, there is a fine line between color monotony and chaos. "Colors are families," says Sara Goves, a landscape designer in Oxford, Georgia. "It's like the Hatfields and the McCoys. Sometimes they can fight."
To simplify and understand how color works in the landscape, the color wheel is divided into two sections--warm and cool colors. Each has its own characteristics and special place in the garden.
WARM COLORS
Red, orange, and yellow (and their variations) make up the warm colors in the spectrum. They are also close to each other on the color wheel.
- In bright sunlight warm colors illuminate the landscape. They remain vivid and true.
- Red reaches the eye quickly and will dominate other colors. Use it to draw the eye and bring objects closer.
- To make a small garden feel larger, place warm colors in the front of the space and cool colors in the back.
- A large space will appear smaller when warm colors are placed at the back of a bed.
- Paired with yellow, red becomes warmer. When partnered with blue, it becomes a cool color.
- 'Keep orange in the warm color family. After all, it's a child of primary red and yellow,' Sara says.
- Warm colors are effective accents. Use them in small amounts to brighten up a cool color scheme.
