YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO colour in the garden

Choose the right flowers for schemes that will last

The pursuit of colour is one of the main reasons we garden. In much the same way that we decorate our homes to create a unique welcome, atmosphere and personality, so flowers and foliage offer us the creative opportunity to express ourselves outdoors. In the garden, the planting palette is entirely natural and ephemeral – subtly shifting from one season to the next and creating a succession of contrasting or harmonious colours that can last all year round. Fleeting partnerships can be forged for a few precious weeks, which is why gardeners often favour a restricted colour palette over a wayward jumble. For one thing it makes planting easier: plants have to coincide or overlap when they f lower in order to create a successful combination. Plants that flower in the first half of summer are mainly European and their flowers usually come in pastel colours. By the second half of summer (July onwards), plants from the southern hemisphere begin to bloom and their petals are pigmentpacked and far brighter. These include dahlias, salvias, agapanthus, fuchsias and penstemons. North American prairie plants also contribute from July onwards and there are lots of sunny yellow daisies on offer by autumn, when the colours look crisper and deeper because the sun is lower. It isn’t all about flowers though. Foliage also makes a contribution and, for dramatic effect, try black leaves among silvers, or have a background of plum foliage with pale-pink f lowers. Or, use a tapestry of greens. One word of caution though: variegated foliage needs careful handling, so use it sparingly.