How to use the colour wheel in garden design: Avoid these plant fails!

How to use the colour wheel in garden design: Avoid these plant fails!

Lee Burkhill: Award Winning Designer & BBC 1's Garden Rescue Presenters Official Blog

Intermediate level

Knowing how to use the colour wheel in the garden is key to making spaces look effortless and wonderful. If you don't understand the colour wheel and its associations you can be left with a garden that simply looks disjointed or piece meal. This guide will help you choose the right colour combinations for your plants and gardens.

Understanding colour schemes from the colour wheel can greatly enhance your ability to create visually appealing designs and artwork. Colour can evoke both positive and negative feelings and emotions in the garden. If you've ever looked at a garden and found the colours jarring or awkward, the chances are the colour wheel has been ignored.

Conversely, if you have visited a garden where the colours have made you feel comfortable and intrigued, then clearly, the garden designer has worked with the colour wheel in choosing plants and materials.

How to choose colour in the garden

Choosing colours for your garden sounds simple, right? You pick your favourite colours, and off you go.

Sadly, as many beginner gardeners find out, it's not that simple.

This is because most people have multiple favourite colours and end up with a pick-and-mix garden with a rainbow of colours all competing and clashing with each other. That is fine if you like that feeling for the short term, but it can be too chaotic for a long-term effect and make the garden feel restless.

That is why colour theory is so important. It's about understanding and working with colours that go together or evoke certain sensations in the garden. For example, warm colours make you feel hot and bright, whereas cooler colours make you feel more introspective and calm.

By using the colour wheel in your garden design and planting plans, you can avoid garden fails and create a harmonious garden space, whether it's meant to be exciting, calming, invigorating or restful. Colour plays a key role in achieving that dream garden! So, let's take a look at the colour wheel and how we can use it in garden design.

What is the colour wheel?

The colour wheel is a circular diagram visually representing the relationships between different colours. Think of it as a rainbow wheel in which each colour has its own place. It is a foundational tool in colour theory used by artists, designers, and anyone working with colour to understand how colours interact, mix, and complement each other. It is a one-stop visual cue to see how colours would work together and which do not!

Structure of the Color Wheel

Primary Colours: Red, blue, and yellow. These are the base colours that cannot be created by mixing other colours.
Secondary Colours: Green, orange, and purple. These are created by mixing two primary colours.
Tertiary Colours: Colours formed by mixing a primary colour with a neighbouring secondary colour (e.g., blue-green, red-orange).

Understand the Basics of Colour Theory

Before jumping into which colours work well with each other, we need to understand colour theory. Colour theory is a framework that explains how colours interact, combine, and affect visual perception. It encompasses the principles and guidelines for using colour effectively in art, design, and other creative fields. It's split into different temperatures or degrees of colour.

i) Warm Colours

Characteristics: Warm colours include reds, oranges, and yellows. They are bold, vibrant, and attention-grabbing.
Effect on Space: These colours make a garden feel cosy and intimate. Because they draw the eye, they can make spaces feel closer or more enclosed.
Usage Tips: Use warm colours in areas where you want to create energy and focus. For example, planting red or orange flowers near a seating area can make it feel more welcoming and lively. You can also use them to draw attention to specific features like a garden entrance or a focal point, such as a sculpture.

ii) Cool Colors

Characteristics: Cool colours encompass blues, purples, and greens. They are soothing, calming, and recede in the visual field.
Effect on Space: These colours make a garden feel larger, more expansive, and peaceful. They tend to blend into the background, providing a serene and calming effect.
Usage Tips: Cool colours are ideal for creating a relaxing retreat. Use them in areas you want to unwind, such as a quiet corner or pathways. Planting blue or purple flowers at the edges of your garden can help make the space feel more open and tranquil.

iii) Neutral Colors

Characteristics: Neutrals like white, grey, and green serve as versatile background colours that complement both warm and cool colours.
Effect on Space: Neutral colours are grounding and help balance more vibrant colours. They can create a cohesive look and provide a rest for the eyes.
Usage Tips: Use neutral colours to tone down bright colours or to create a sophisticated, minimalist garden design. White flowers, for example, can make other colours stand out, while grey stones or paths can add structure without overwhelming the plantings.

Colour Properties

Within the colour wheel, we have hues, which are red, blue or yellow, primary colours, but then saturations or values of these and every colour in between. For example, orange may be vibrant or pastel, heavily saturated or washed out with a value.

Hue: The pure colour on the colour wheel, such as red, blue, or yellow.
Saturation: The intensity or purity of a colour. A highly saturated colour is vivid and bright, while a desaturated colour is more muted or greyish.
Value: The lightness or darkness of a colour. Adding white to a colour creates a tint (lighter), while adding black creates a shade (darker).

3 Types of Colour Combinations for Garden Design

Ok, now we have discussed why the colour wheel is important and the different characteristics of colours let's discuss the options you have when selecting various colours for your garden plants, structures, buildings and objects in your design. When applying colour into any garden there are 3 colour types usually followed to create amazing spaces. These colour types avoid pick and mix or mismatch planting and designs.

The 3 types of colour combinations in design are known as analogous, monochromatic, and contrasting colours.

1. Analogous Colors

Analogous colours are groups of three colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel. They usually match well and create serene and comfortable designs. See below how yellow, orange and red sit next to each other?

Characteristics

Typically found side-by-side on the colour wheel.
Share a common colour, with one being the dominant colour, which tends to be a primary or secondary colour, and the other two complementing it.
Often found in nature, making them pleasing to the eye.
Example: Blue, Blue-Green, and Green.

Usage
Analogous colour schemes are often used in designs to create a harmonious and cohesive look. They are great for creating a calming and serene environment.

2. Monochromatic Colors

Monochromatic colour schemes are based on different shades, tints, and tones of a single colour. See the silvery blue Erngiums and Corokia are all the same blue base colour?

Characteristics

Involves one base color and its variations in terms of lightness and saturation.
Creates a cohesive and elegant look.
It can be very striking and sophisticated when done correctly despite being composed of just one hue.
Example: A range of blues from light sky blue to deep navy.

Usage
Monochromatic schemes are often used for minimalist designs and can convey a clean, elegant, and uniform look. They are also useful when you want to avoid colour clashes and focus on texture and form.

3. Contrasting Colors

Contrasting colours (often referred to as complementary colours) are pairs of colours that, when combined, cancel each other out. This means that they produce a grayscale colour like white or black when combined. They create the strongest contrast and reinforce each other when placed next to each other. The orange Geum below contrasts dynamically with the 'Blue Hobbit' Erngium.

Characteristics

They are located opposite each other on the colour wheel.
High contrast and high impact.
They can make each other appear more vibrant when used together.
Example: Red and Green, Blue and Orange, Yellow and Purple.

Usage
Contrasting colour schemes are used to create a high-impact and vibrant look. They are effective for grabbing attention and creating visual interest. This is why they are often used in logos, advertisements, and sports team colours.

Consider the Garden’s Purpose when Choosing Colour

Another important part of great garden design is using colours that represent the gardens purpose or function. For example in a calming part of the garden you don't really want massive colour clashes or bright hues of primary colours. Whereas in exciting areas of the garden you don't want monochromatic blocks of white or soft colours either.

1) Relaxation

Colour Palette: Cool colours like blues, purples, and soft greens.
Design Ideas: Create a calming environment by using a palette of cool colours. For example, plant Lavender, Bluebells, or Hostas in shaded areas where you want to relax. Add soft green foliage to enhance the peaceful feel. Consider using water features or reflective surfaces to amplify the calming effect of these colours.

Outdoor living social garden with a white sofa by Garden Ninja

2) Socializing

Colour Palette: Warm colours such as reds, yellows, and oranges.
Design Ideas: For spaces intended for entertaining or gathering, choose warm, vibrant colours that stimulate conversation and interaction. Consider planting Heleniums, Sunflowers, or Crocosmia 'Lucifer' near patios or seating areas. These colours can also be used to create a festive, celebratory atmosphere, especially in outdoor dining areas.

3) High Drama or Impact Gardens

Colour Palette: Contrasting colours that create visual impact.
Design Ideas: If you want to highlight specific plants, features, or areas in your garden, use contrasting colors to create focal points. For example, plant purple flowers against a backdrop of yellow foliage, or use dark green hedges to frame a bed of bright red or pink flowers. This contrast will draw the eye to the showcase feature, making it stand out.

Consider Seasonal Changes

Spring: Embrace pastels and light colours that symbolize renewal, such as soft pinks, light blues, and fresh greens.
Summer: Go for bold, bright colors that reflect the vibrancy of the season, like reds, yellows, and oranges.
Autumn: Choose warm, earthy tones such as deep reds, oranges, and browns to mirror the changing foliage.
Winter: Use evergreens, white flowers, and plants with interesting bark or berries to add colour to an otherwise muted landscape.

Balance and Harmony with Garden Colours

When it comes to colour theory, there are two more key tricks that any decent garden designer or plant person will follow. The first is to avoid overcrowding colours, making them seem frantic, and the other is the garden designer's favourite principle of repetition.

A) Avoid Overcrowding

While it can be tempting to use many colours, too much variety can make a garden feel chaotic. Stick to a cohesive colour scheme to maintain harmony. If you end up squeezing in too many plants and colours the garden doesn't have enough space to 'breathe' or 'sway.

B) Repetition

Repeating colours throughout the garden can create a sense of unity and flow. For instance, if you have yellow flowers in one part of the garden, consider using yellow elsewhere to create a visual connection. The rules of 3, 5 and 7 apply to this principle where you plant in groups or drifts of 3, 5 or 7 around the garden to bring unity and repetition.

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Summary

Remember, your garden is your canvas, and the colour wheel is your guide to painting it with vibrant, harmonious hues. Whether you're aiming for a peaceful retreat with cool analogous colours or making a bold statement with complementary contrasts, the colour wheel empowers you to make the most of your garden’s palette.

By understanding the principles of colour theory and the colour wheel, you're making more informed choices about your plant selections and positions. Meaning your design is more informed than simply guess work!

Don't be afraid to mix things up before you plant out your garden and try new combinations—each season brings new opportunities to refresh and reinvent your space if something hasn't quite worked. So dig in, have fun experimenting, and let your garden flourish with colour and personality!

Happy gardening.