Need an attention grabber? Plant red. Want to make a space feel warm and inviting? Red works for that, too. Its “look at me!” qualities can be overpowering, but when done right, it can bring a garden to life. Consider these five ways to use it to best effect.
Stop signs, traffic lights, fire trucks and Valentine’s Day all have one thing in common: red. This provocative color is capable of producing emotional responses that run the gamut from love to anger and is hard to ignore anywhere you see it.
When it comes to red in the garden, a little can go a long way. But in certain situations, a whole lot of red can bring a space to life without feeling overpowering. Here are five ways to use red effectively in the garden.
Think of red as an accent color and use it with intention. A dab of it here and there goes a long way, but the bigger the space, the more you can mix in. Maybe it’s a piece of art or a favorite red-flowered plant positioned in the line of sight of a focal point. Entryways, seating areas and dining areas are also good places to use red to bring positive energy and warmth into your outdoor living areas.
Is red your favorite color? Surround yourself with it by filling your patio containers with all sorts of red flowering and foliage plants including true red Intensia® Red Hot phlox. Bonus: using red as a monotone color across your entire patio can make the space feel larger.
Don’t plant red where you don’t want to draw the eye. For example, it is not a good idea to plant a swathe of red flowered or foliage plants near your electrical box or gas meter since you don’t want to draw attention to them. Instead, plant red in the opposite direction of eyesores to draw attention away from them.
The visual impact of big, bold plants in hot red tones makes small spaces unforgettable. They might take up more real estate, but plants at the scale of Summerific ‘Holy Grail’ perennial hibiscus, which spreads up to five feet across, have a way of making tight spaces feel more spacious. The opposite holds true in large landscapes which can be made to feel more intimate by including hot-colored flowers with big personalities.
Balancing lighter colored plants with intense red and burgundy foliage brings dimension and balance to a garden design.
The Weighty Subject of Red Foliage
Lots of popular plants like coleus, weigela and coral bells have foliage that spans the red spectrum from brick red to burgundy. The darker the red and larger the plant, the more visual weight it carries. If planted solitarily, it can feel heavy and blocky but serve as a visual anchor in the bed.
To balance this effect, pair red foliage plants with lighter colored foliage and flowering plants. They will lighten the mood, plus the contrast will give the planting dimension.
In the example pictured here, the red tones of ColorBlaze® Rediculous® coleus, Plum Dandy™ alternanthera and Superbena Royale® Romance verbena are balanced by the lighter tones of Supertunia Mini Vista® Pink Star petunias and Heart to Heart® ‘White Wonder’ caladiums.
Green is often the dominant color in the shade garden and too much of it can make the space feel a little boring. A quick way to liven things up is by adding a dose of red, either with foliage or flowers. As opposites on the color wheel, green and red are perfect complements to one another. In the subdued environment of the shade garden, red glows and attracts the eye. Its warmth balances out green’s coolness and adds a vibrant, inviting layer.
Combining the Many Shades of Red
True red is a rare gem, but it also comes in many different hues with most falling in the orange-red or blue-red categories. Look closely at the shade of red you are considering using. Is it a warm red, meaning it has more orange in it, or is it a cool red which contains more blue tones?
Warm reds tend to carry a lot of intensity in the garden. Pair them with analogous colors like hot pink, orange, yellow and purple to keep them burning. Or temper the heat with complementary or neutral colors like lime green, blue or white to take away some of their visual intensity.
Interestingly, the same red flower can look very different depending on which other colors it is paired with. In the example pictured here, consider the blue-red tones of Supertunia® Black Cherry® petunia. When mixed with the warm orange and yellow tones of our Heirloom Bloom recipe, pictured at left above, the petunia appears to burn hotter. But paired with cool blues and white in our On My Mind recipe, above at right, its red tones are tempered, delivering a completely different effect.
By Laura Root
Photos courtesy of Jackson & Perkins
Gardeners are always thinking ahead to the next season or the next year. And, fall is the ideal time to think about spring. Flowering shrubs, perennials and spring bulbs are great choices.
Click here for an interesting article about spring bulbs.
Click here to sign up for our monthly NEWSLETTER packed with great articles and helpful tips for your home, garden and pets!
