Red And Orange
Red and orange are the opposite of cool blues; they catch the eye and seem to move closer towards you. Dazzling, zingy and vibrant, these are rich colours that enliven the garden, from the early reds and oranges of tulips to the hot colours of late summer and autumn.
By a pond you can plant orange marsh marigolds that like to grow in wet ground; and in well-drained borders, the bright red-petalled oriental poppy. I grow annuals around the vegetable garden to add colour and to attract beneficial insects that help to pollinate the veg and eat any pests too. There are orange marigolds such as ‘Golden King’, zinnias for butterflies and low-growing nasturtiums where we can also eat the leaves and use the flowers on salads. Ladybird poppies are a big hit with bees and have dramatically red petals with black centres. I’m ver y fond of simple red pelargoniums – the ‘geraniums’ of cottage windowsills – and I grow these in the greenhouse and in containers by the door.