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Planting a monochromatic or single-color garden is easy and can be quite eye catching. For those of you who have driven the Azalea Trail in Tyler, Texas, the massive displays of single-colored azaleas are breathtaking -- I remember a front lawn that had a combination of red azalea bushes with beds of red tulips. While using only one color may seem boring, once you start shopping for flowers you'll probably be surprised at how many slightly different variations of one color are available.
The interest comes not only from the different shades of one color but by the variety of foliage that you select to offset the color. Light yellow-green foliage will provide a striking contrast to purple or magenta colors. Variegated or striped foliage will help break any monotony. Also choose plants of different heights, shapes, textures, and bloom times for a succession of color.
"Cooler" colors such as blue, white and violet create a more serene, calming effect and give the feeling of distance. Some suggested plant combinations for a white garden might be white begonias, hostas, daffodils, snowdrops, caladiums, hydrangeas, Japanese painted fern, lamb's ear or dusty miller.
"Warmer" colors such as red, orange and yellow elicit a vibrant and exciting feeling and make a space seem smaller. Suggested plants for orange could be roses, nasturtiums, pansies, cannas, chrysanthemums, lion's mane, new shades of coneflowers, daylilies, dwarf pomegranate and impatiens
A color wheel is a handy gadget for helping you plan your garden palette. If two colors appear close to each other on the wheel, they will harmonize in the garden.
For the finishing touch, think about matching the "hard" elements of a garden whether it is mulch, paving materials or garden décor such as a storage shed, fence or fountain to your color scheme.
Ilene Healey, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service