Color in the Garden

When you think of the phrase ‚”Color in the Garden” – what comes to mind? Is it a grove of birch trees, fluttering like the aspen in a soft breeze, or does it remind you of a camellia blossom in perfect form? Whatever the case, color is actually a combination of light absorption and reflection off an objects’ surface.

Depending on its composition – the eye relates that information to the brain. Often the response is of an emotional nature, as many of us take great pleasure in a beauty of a well planned garden or the creative structure of an orchid.

Next time you go for a stroll in the neighborhood, look at the diversity of color in plants. Look at the different shades of green, found in different trees. Look at how light plays differently upon leaves – some aglow in low setting sunlight. In fact, because of the differences in foliage color alone, if planned correctly a garden could be flowerless and still be beautiful.

Everyone has different views and desires when it comes to color. Most like color in the garden with variety – mainly, pinks, blues, white and lavender, with yellow, orange and reds the most controversial. Some actually prefer gardens with no flowers, or flowers to be kept at a minimum. This is often for fear of bees, to avoid messy flower clean-up, or possibly the person is color blind. Some may just prefer the monotone look of all greens.

The point here is that when it comes to color in the garden there is no right or wrong, no black or white – so to speak. Since color is how we view things, it is an individual preference. Many landscape designers, ISA Certified Arborist and plant collectors actually prefer foliage color over flowers, as flowers are transient – while foliage is often present the year round.

Some of the favorite summer and fall foliage color trees for the garden include:

Japanese Maples, Tallow Tree, Red Oak, Scarlet Oak, Shumard Oak, Trident Maple, Purple Leaf Plum,Tricolor Beech,Tupelo Tree or Sour Gum, Sweetgum, Birch Trees, Bald Cypress, Dawn Redwood,Sourwood, Blue Atlas Cedar,Crabapple, and Persimmon.

Some of the favorite shrubs for summer and fall foliage for the garden include:

Heavenly Bamboo, Red Barberry, Chokeberry, Dwarf Bush Blue Spruce, Ornamental Grasses, Phormium or Flax Plants, Viburnum, Oak leaf Hydrangea, Dwarf Hinoki Cypress,Artemisia,Sambucus,Yucca, Weigela,Canna Lily,Elaeagnus, Juniper, and Hopseed.

In nature, beauty comes natural. A beautiful garden is a result of combining the colors of God’s great creative palette – and the possibilities are limitless.