Using and understanding colour

The 12 Part Colour Wheel

The 12-part colour wheel is made up of Primary colours, Secondary colours (made by mixing the primaries) and Tertiary colours (made by mixing primaries and secondaries)

Complementary colours

Colours directly opposite each other are 'complementary', and create the most dramatic effects.

Analogous colours

Colours nearest to each other are 'analogous' and create more restful effects.

Analogous purples

Hesperis (white), the dusky purple of Lunaria annua 'Munstead Purple' seed pods and rich burgundy of Cirsium rivulare.

A wide range of analogous colours at Parham House

This rich planting scheme combines nearly all of the right-half of the colour wheel. Never forget that green is also a colour.

Using foliage colour

Alchemilla mollis and Heuchera 'Palace Purple' create colour here mostly with foliage, making a great foil for bearded iris 'Kent Pride'.

Single colour schemes

This planting scheme at Dore Court uses the yellow shades of shrubs and foliage as much as the fleeting yellow flowers of Hemerocallis.

Using bark

At Newport House, the bark of silver birches draw the eye to the white daffodils beneath.

Seasonal colours

Here at The Laskett, late season colour doesn't use flowers at all, but the fruit of crab apples (Malus), the foreground hedge of Berberis and the Acer tree in the background.

Analogous scheme at West Green House

Here, painted obelisks add to the calming blue and purple scheme.

Analogous purples

Analogous colours are generally more restful on the eye as here in these various shades of purples and pinks (including Verbascum 'Violetta', Allium, Geranium renardii, and Geranium 'Spinners').

Analogous pinks

A cool planting scheme of pale pinks, white and silver foliage.

Complementary red and green

At West Green House, a masterclass in using the opposites, red and green, in planting, furniture and painted obelisks in the background.

Chelsea Show Garden 2015

(1) The dark centres of the mauvy-pink Verbascum pick up the dark purple of lupin and iris.
(2) Orange and purple are opposites on the colour wheel.

Details

Symphyotrichum 'Little Carlow' (Michaelmas daisy) and Lobelia 'Hadspen Purple'.

Fine details

(left): At High Glanau, the white of alliums and the blue of irises come together in the bi-colour lupin.
(right): The dark purple leaves of Penstemon 'Husker Red' draw the eye to the tips of the Briza heads.

Details at The Laskett

The brown centres of the yellow Rudbekia pull in the russet tones of the Miscanthus in the background.

Chelsea 2015 Show Garden

(1) The dark eyes of the yellow Verbascum picks up the claret colour of Lysimachia 'Beaujolais' and Astrantia.
Foliage of bronze fennel (2) and lime green Angelica (3) are opposites on the colour wheel.

Colour saturation

The saturation (intensity) of a colour also creates different effects. The pale grey leaves of Rosa glauca & the soft yellow umbellifer on the left (at Dore Court) are cool and subtle, despite being basically opposite on the colour wheel.

On the right the Chelsea Show Garden uses rich tones of analogous purples and pinks, given a 'ping' with complementary orange Geum.

Bedding at Parham House

Although orange and purple are not far apart on the wheel, their rich, saturated colours in this scheme still create drama.

Saturated analogous colours

Rich orange Calendula and lime green Alchemilla are close on the colour wheel, but still create a strong but pleasing contrast.