Match, don't mix, for a striking impact. If you're ready to add some pizzazz to your yard, remember these three little words: Keep It Simple. It is much easier to create an eye-catching annual-color bed than you may think.
- For maximum impact, concentrate color in strategically placed patches tucked into planting beds instead of scattering flowers throughout your yard.
- Although it takes artistic skill to mix annual colors, it is easy to follow the single-color shortcut to good design. No matter how small your planting bed may be, a burst of one color will brighten your landscape.
- Use color to invite guests to the front door, patio or walkway.
- Avoid placing annuals near objects that don't merit extra attention. Use color to accent, not overemphasize. Planting flowers to surround utility boxes or dramatize entrances you don't want people to use defeats the purpose.
- Some colors command more attention than others, so remember to choose carefully. Yellows and bright pinks can easily be seen from a distance, while blues and purples tend to recede. (Place any blue flowering plants where you can enjoy them up close.) Red interrupts; it is a great accent color but easy to overuse. White highlights; it provides a most effective surprise, especially in the shade where it seems to sparkle.
- Repeat your color. Professional designers favor this easy trick. It may seem as though you are overloading on one color at the garden shop, but your selections will look great when you get home and start planting. Window boxes, hanging baskets, and pots spotlight annuals. For greater impact, match the ones planted around your landscape.
Kathy Uncapher, Smith County Master Gardener
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