As interest in moon gardens waxes, so has the appeal in monochromatic gardens in other colors.
What’s your favorite color? Don’t think too long about it.
“The successful garden is intuitive. It’s very personal and expresses who the artist is,” said Annie Huston of Columbine Design.
Denver Botanic Gardens senior horticulturist Ebi Kondo agrees: “Spontaneously pick your favorite color: It’s very exciting to pick any color you like,” Kondo said. “Some like pink, but pink is not one color. There’s pale pink and lipstick pink, and it’s really fun to see that. You can pick any plant in that category.”
When you dial in on the color wheel, your monochromatic garden creates visual unity that can expand a small space. Here’s how to make a colorful splash on your landscape.
Softly sung blues
Huston is a true-blue fan. “The blue garden to me is the most sophisticated,” she said. “It’s very dramatic because there are not that many blue flowers. They’re much more rare, so it makes it more challenging, but more fun.”
For blue gardens, Huston favors columbines, veronicas, salvias, bluebells, forget-me-nots, agapanthus, blue-leaf spireas, lavenders, delphiniums and clematis. In Colorado’s sometimes incendiary summers, blue gardens are cooling. And relaxing. Huston said: “There’s a reason why we paint bedrooms blue — it’s a calming color.”
A blaze of red
“The red garden is very in-your-face passionate and energizing,” said Kondo. “Red is a good color to use in Colorado because we have strong sun, and lots of reds are available.” Denver Botanic Gardens’ now-defunct Drop Dead Red border was a splashy success modeled after a garden at Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent, England. The fiery reds were chilled a bit by complementary greens, as well as burgundy foliage and flowers with blue undertones. Kondo and Huston advocate including bronze leaves for contrast.
Orange you glad?
Even once-outcast orange is now in vogue. “I’m so happy (that) finally gardeners are using orange,” Huston said. “Fifteen years ago, we had people telling us to never, ever use orange in their gardens. Now people are asking for orange.”
A color as juicy as orange works well in Colorado’s bright light. The secret to using orange successfully? “Commit to it and don’t be afraid. Don’t use it a little bit here and there, but let orange be prominent in the garden,” Huston said. “I would love a garden in Colorado with red, orange and yellow. In our light, we can use bright colors for a magnificent effect.”
Both designers agree that vivid gardens work best with foliage to tone down the colors. “This gives a little respite. With colors so strong, you want something to give the eyes a little rest here and there,” Huston said. “Surround bright colors with more peaceful and subdued colors, or it’s like looking at the sun.”
Yellow to mellow
“Yellow is good in Colorado. Yellow is the most visible color in the landscape from a distance. That’s why road signs are yellow,” Kondo said. He recommends silver as a cooling accent. “One of my favorites in Colorado is silver. It works well in a monochromatic yellow, or a white-and-green garden,” he said. “Silver reflects sunlight really well.”
Black is the new black
Yes, black. “Some gardeners like a black garden with black irises, black hollyhocks, black pansies,” Kondo said. “Black flowers are hard to find, but it’s really exciting when you do.”
Kondo favors black with silver as an accent. “Plants with silvery leaves reflect the strong Colorado sun.”
Both Kondo and Huston appreciate mixing up the one-color garden just a bit. “Blue and white are beautiful together,” Huston said. “You can have red and blue gardens on the same property,” said Kondo, citing Sissinghurst as an example. “And think all-season- long performance, not only spring.”
Colleen Smith, Special to The Denver Post
