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Use Contrasting Colors and Texture to Add Pizzazz to the Garden

Garden looking a bit drab? Time to liven things up with a few new plant combinations.  

Pair plants with opposite features to create a focal point and add a bit of pizazz to the landscape.

Start with color. Pairing plants with colors on the opposite side of the color wheel is sure to grab your attention. Blue and yellow, purple and orange are just a few examples.

Look for opportunities to add some interesting textures. The fine leaves of ornamental grasses and sedges are great against larger leafed plants.

And look for interesting and contrasting forms. Plant tall spiky flowers next to mounded plants or a short round birdbath.  These contrasting combinations emphasize each partner’s unique features.

And don’t forget to include some interesting art from found items. Or put discards like colorful wine bottles and bowling balls to work as edging for your garden paths.

A bit more information: Make small narrow beds appear larger with proper plant selection and placement. Fine textured plants at the back of a garden create a sense of depth. Or plant tall plants right next to much shorter plants to make the garden bed look deeper than its actual size.

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