Just like inside your home, color can create a sense of tranquility or excitement; it can make a large space feel intimate or a small space feel vast; warm colors are exciting and stimulate our senses while cool colors are calming and help us relax. Your garden is no different; in fact, most people are willing to delve into hues they would never consider inside the home. Color is, of course, a matter of personal taste; however, we have provided some tips on how to use color to achieve your garden goals:

When planning a garden, think of it as a blank canvas, and the plant colors are the colors on your artist’s palette. Some colors will dominate and be spread with a broad brush, while others are small dabs of color that will give depth and dimension. Try to envision how you want the entire garden to look. Need help visualizing? Sweeney’s can provide a design. One of the unique design techniques that Sweeney’s has implemented is producing enhanced photos as well as plan views with 3-D designs. This new technique even allows us to design outdoor and/or holiday lighting pictures, which give a good idea on how things will look at night. It is a fully integrated system that will produce a proposal tied to the design with plant images and information. Nothing is quite as powerful as seeing an actual image of your garden using just a photo of your home/yard.

Got a particular color scheme in mind? Get a color wheel. Complementary colors are directly opposite each other. You might remember this from art class – red & green, orange & blue, yellow & purple, etc.

Shady areas can be brightened by using lighter colors like whites, light pinks, pale blues, etc. Dark colors tend to get lost in the shade. To maximize effect, think about how the plant colors will blend or contrast with the surroundings/hardscape. For example, red geraniums against red brick won’t stand out as much as a lighter colored flower. This rule applies for the exterior of your home as well. Have a neutral colored home – use color to add depth and excitement. Complement the trim on your home with like colors or complementing colors.

Theme colors will help unify different garden areas not unlike the rooms inside your home. Repeat these colors in each area of your garden to help bring it all together.

Is your garden located away from your viewing area? If so, remember dark or cool colors have a tendency to wane across the yard or in low light. In other words, they will be difficult to see. Bright or warm colors have an opposite effect by drawing you in closer and remain visible in any kind of light.

Lastly, if you’re dealing with a small space, dark, cool colors give the illusion of a larger space. Conversely, bright, warm colors can make a large space feel more intimate. Planting warm colors in the distance help make the garden appear closer.

The bottom line is plant the colors you like. After all, it’s your garden. You are the artist, and Sweeney’s is more than happy to create a design based on your needs and desires. You don’t even need to live within the communities we service or even the state.  Sweeney’s can provide a design for anyone, anywhere using plant materials that work best for your location.  Let’s work together to make your yard as beautiful outside as it is on the inside.  Think of your garden as an extension of your home.

Best wishes,
Kim Sweeney

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