Flower Garden Colour Combinations

 

It’s the time of year when we are starting to plant out indoor sown annuals, direct sow some more and happily watching perennial plants popping up. Back in the autumn and winter we put our minds to what we wanted to grow this year, which flower garden colour combinations did we want to see, we browsed through plant and seed catalogues that are full of colourful garden ideas.

We chose our riotous flower colour combinations. We dreamed of borders, beds and pots awash with glorious flowers, fragrance and foliage.

Plants and seed orders were made, our gardening creative juices were in full flow, visions were put in place and now we hope to see all our plans come to fruition.  How to Grow Plant Seeds. 5 Easy Steps

I imagine that we have all seen and admired local parks, public gardens and friends gardens boasting colourful planting schemes and we long to emulate them in our own gardens, here is how we can do that very easily by choosing, not only the right colours but also the shape, forms, height and foliage of plants that once combined, look sensational together.

In summer we make the very most of our outdoor spaces, spending more time outdoors enjoying the weather, indulging in family time, entertaining friends and of course, gardening.

Often maintenance jobs are carried out as well to keep everything ship-shape and in good repair. What Jobs to do in the Garden in April

Our gardens become somewhere that we wish to spend as much time as possible. With a little preparation and thought they can be a little haven away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. what-to-do-on-a-staycation

 

Flower Garden Colour Combinations

I have put together a few of the most popular colour schemes with a selection of plants to use for each theme. I have suggested various trees, shrubs or climbers that will be permanent plants in the garden, choosing ones that compliment the seasonal colours.

Bright And Bold

Vivid yellow and rich purples always look fantastic together:

• Euphorbia palustris
• Alchemelia Mollis
• Deep Aubergine Lupin Masterpiece
• Globe Alliums
• Purple Salvia
• Viburnum Bonariensis for some height and movement
• Heuchera Forever Purple and Electric Plum

These plants all create a lush, rich colour that is exuberant and decadently eye-catching.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foliage shrubs or trees that will add further drama to this scheme are:

• Cotinus royal purple
• Sambucus Nigra

Climbing plants that will compliment these colours are clematis Dark Eyes and Rasputin, there are so many purple flowering clematis. Choose ones that you like best and select a few that flower at different times for a longer, on going show.How to Grow a Clematis

 

Blues And Yellows

Dark shades of blue look beautiful with both lemon yellow as well as brighter tones of yellow.

Alchemelia Mollis is a citrus, lime yellow, it is a wonderful foil for light blues and lilac/blue tones such as hardy geranium Roxanne.

• Nepeta
• Coreopsis moonbeam or creme brûlée both look lovely with shades of blue.
• Salvia nemorosa
• Lavender
• Height can be added with Golden rod and gorgeous tall yellow lupins, gladiolus, Iris and Agapanthus.

Climbers and permanent plants could be Honeysuckle, Clematis, Jasmine.

Include some clipped dark evergreen shrubs for a deep contrast.

Euonymus Fortunei  “Emerald n Gold” with its citrus, gold – yellow leaves looks fantastic as a backdrop for blue flowers.

Cool Customers

Lilacs, pale mauve, soft pinks, white and cream all look stunning together.  A cool look can be created with cottage garden style plants or more modern, contemporary planting schemes. The choice of colourful garden plants is endless.

Climbers such as Wisteria, Honeysuckle or Clematis can be the mainstay plants with perennials and annuals adding to the mix throughout spring and summer.

Roses – New Dawn and Iceberg are both beautiful climbing roses, pale pink or white blooms with gorgeous scent.

A lovely small shrub would be Deutzia, this delicate small plant is in flower now with masses of tiny pink/white flowers.

White flowered fuchsia Magallancia Alba or soft pink Fuchsia White Knights Blush are but a couple of suggestions, there are many to choose from.

White Agapanthus will add some height and glamour.

 

In The Pink

Hot Pink, Fuchsia Pink, Candy Pink

Whichever shade of pink appeals to you, there is certainly a huge choice of colourful garden plants that will keep your borders, pots, baskets… in the pink.

Some of my favourites are:

• Astrantia Roma and Buckland these are easy to grow perennials, the pollinators love them
• Osteospermum
• Verbena
• Achillea Cerise Queen

Shrubs suggestions as staple plants in the pink border are Fuchsia, Weigelia, Daphne. For a bold contrast use

Some ideas if you would like to include In the Pink roses are:   How do you Grow Roses?: Secrets to Success

• Lady of the Lake
• Constance Spry
• Queen of Denmark
• Anne Boleyn
• England’s Rose.

Shades Of Autumn

Colourful plant combinations that will take us through into autumn

I have also listed some of these in the sunset colours as they are similar.

• Rudbeckia
• Helenium
• Echinacea
• Planted with grasses such as Stipa Gigantea, Stipa arundinacea
• Miscanthus Ferner osten turns bright orange in autumn
• these lovely late flowering plants will look beautiful as the grasses add movement and catch the light

Foliage colours that can’t be dismissed are of course the beautiful Autumn shades of the Acers.

Young, new leaves are coming through right now giving us stunning gold, wine reds, ruby, peach, apricot and vivid greens.

Acers provide a landscape with an abundance of autumn colours that really should be included in any garden to give year round interest.

Perfectly happy in containers too as my photo shows. This collection of Acers provide colour around a formal pond area. Their gold, bronze and copper colours are picked up by the similar colours of the pots and ornaments.

Radiant Sunset