Best 8 Ideas For Permanent Color In The Garden

For me half the fun of gardening is watching the plants develop through the season. In spring we look forward to new growth with more and more flowers blooming as the months pass until fall when the garden begins to close down for winter. In between there will often be periods when there are less blooms and that is when these ideas can help to compensate by providing alternative color. I came across these ideas in an article by Marianne Lipanovich which I found on the Houzz website.

In an ideal world, your garden would be filled with year-round seasonal color, thanks to strategic plantings. In the real world, too many of us are faced with times when our gardens are, quite frankly, rather drab and dreary. If your garden occasionally suffers from the doldrums, check out these ways to add some color that you can count on.

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1. Splash on some paint. Spice up your landscape?s perimeter with color. Cooler neutral or darker shades will blend into the rest of your plantings and add a calming feel to the space, while brighter colors will pack a punch. If you?re unsure, consider green; many shades of it will blend in easily with most landscapes. In this California garden, a bright blue color enlivens the stucco wall and provides a vivid contrast to the orange cannas.

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You don?t need to paint all of your fencing and walls. Using paint on only one or two walls can be equally effective. It?s a good way to set off one section of the landscape or create an accent wall. In Los Angeles, a fence painted in a blend of softer, neutral hues adds depth to this corner.

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If you?re nervous about adding a large swath of permanent color, choose a smaller place to start. The built-in barbecue and nearby raised beds here got a fresh look with bright red-orange paint.

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2. Seek out colorful containers. Gone are the days when terra cotta and dark green plastic reigned supreme in the world of container gardening. Though those are still valid choices, today there?s an increasing range of container colors and styles to choose from. Find one that plays off the colors of your plants or your hardscape.
Cor-Ten planters filled with edibles are lined up in front of a fence with the same color railings in this modern garden.

Raised beds in a mix of hues add interest to vegetable gardens. Paint them yourself or look for options in stores and online. Another option would be to add vibrant tomato cages and plant supports.