Date: Fri 22-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CAROLL

Quick Words:

Gardener-Bleach-colors

Full Text:

SUBURBAN GARDENER: Good Colors, Disagreeable Unions

By Anthony C. Bleach

While Ann Lovejoy in The American Mixed Border writes, "There are no really

bad colors," there are, however, some bad combinations which can make you

cringe. The following guidelines I am going to keep in my diary.

The most difficult flower colors to work with are the pinks. They are either

yellow-pink or blue-pink. One of the most important rules is never to use the

two side-by-side. Only pale to golden yellows combine well with salmon-pinks.

Anything but the palest yellow clashes with rose-pink. A rose-pink peony will

look tawdry beside a brilliant yellow iris. Its color will be enhanced,

however, with blue or pink lupines.

The pink of the lupines has a touch of blue in it, and the blue lupines have

some red in the blue. Salmon-pink phlox goes well with pale to deep yellow day

lilies, but rose-pink phlox would clash.

Red flowers also need careful handling. Only scarlet-reds, which have some

yellow in them, can be used near salmon-pink flowers. Rose-pinks can only be

combined with blue-reds; that is, those with maroon and crimson tones.

White flowers are good buffers between unsociable hues, and so are plants with

silvery foliage (for example, try Artemesias). Strident tones of red or blue

can be tempered with tints and shades of the same color. The harshness of

magenta disappears if white, blues, purples, or traces of soft yellow are

added.

Color values are determined by the amount of light. Strong sun washes out

pastels as deep shade does deep reds and blues. Also, the color of flowers and

fruits depends on their size and number as well as the intensity of the color.

When you are planning color combinations, it is a good idea to pick flowers

and hold them together to see if they make a good marriage. Do this outdoors,

for bright sun will intensify some strong colors while weakening paler colors,

making them look very different from the same arrangement indoors.

I am indebted to the lectures of Professor Ilene Reiner at our "Landscaping

Small Properties" course for this information.

(Anthony Bleach coordinates the horticulture degree program at Naugatuck

Valley College in Waterbury.)