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Cooler Hues Prevail
Creeping thyme’s pink flowers take on a cooler hue when paired with the purple salvia and allium. Red would normally lend a hot look, but the heuchera’s modest cluster of blooms doesn’t change the overall effect.
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A Little Dab Will Do Ya
Dabbles of yellow add valuable contrast to this garden without affecting its cool tone. A blue birdbath, Russian sage, and purple Gomphrena carry the color theme forward.
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Intensify the Color
Silver- and gray-leafed plants, such as these lamb’s ears, actually increase the vibrancy of companions, making blues more blue and purples more purple. Here they help bring out the violet of the thyme.
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Remember Foliage
The purple foliage of ‘Husker Red’ penstemon and silver foliage of creeping thyme go nicely with the pink phlox and purple salvia, adding to the mosaic effect without detracting from the cool theme.
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Color from Accessories
Sometimes furniture and accessories can add to the color effect. Note the boost the blue chairs give to the purple petunias and irises.
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Play off the Paint
Dangling blooms of wisteria match the garden structure while irises and pansies add deeper shades of purple. A small burst of red in the foreground adds intensity.
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Repeat for Emphasis
Although pinks and yellows are a big part of this picture, the matching door and hydrangea blooms take the spotlight. Repeating the blue blooms gives them more presence.
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Consider the Backdrop
White is a neutral color, making this fence a good backdrop for the blue tones of the lavender. Purple dahlias add a punch to the foreground, while pink cosmos do the same in the background.
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Blue and White Together
Dark-foliage shrubs, such as the Loropetalum and ninebark (Physocarpus) here, make fine companions for hydrangeas. White tulips add needed contrast to the predominantly blue and green bed.
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Separate Similar Tones
Catmint, salvia, columbine, allium, and ‘Dark Towers’ penstemon envelope a small seating area with a friendly mix of purple-blue flowers. Patio and hardscaping help separate their similar tones.
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First, Catch the Eye
The purple blooms of lavender and the pink flowers of hollyhock mark the entry to a winding gravel path. Bright colors naturally catch the eye, then the shape of the path leads it forward.
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Help from Structures
Structures provide a foil for plants. This wall gives a wispy lavender more prominence than it would otherwise have.
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Gray-Green Goes with Everything
Gray-green plants such as Santolina and Artemisia are more than drought-tolerant; they’re also handsome additions to a garden and complement a variety of flower colors.
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Drama for the Taking
The rising spikes of Russian sage are best seen against a dark background, such as these evergreens. The deep-purple blooms of the butterfly bush play off of the flower panicles, adding drama.
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Landscaping with Cool Colors
Try these simple strategies to create a psychologically soothing landscape with a variety of flowers.
