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A well-designed mixed garden offers contrast in
color, texture, and form. |
A well-designed garden offers contrast in color, texture, and form. Combining contrasting colors (those opposite each other on the color wheel) creates visual interest and draws the viewer into the garden to take a better look up close. A grouping of bright yellow Coreopsis planted in front of a hedge of blue Delphiniums is visually striking because of the contrast between the warm and cool tones. Harmonious color palettes can be equally beautiful in the garden, but then the contrast of texture and form play a more critical role.
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| The fine texture of Goatsbeard flowers contrast superbly with the broad, coarse texture of hosta |
Contrast in texture is also a critical design element. We learned above that texture relates to the size, shape, and orientation of a plant’s leaves. To achieve contrast in texture, combine plants that have bold, coarse foliage with those that have fine, narrow leaves. A classic example of this is pairing a large leaf Hosta with ferns. The contrast in texture sets off the beautiful characteristics of each plant. You might not have noticed the delicate details of the ferns if they had been grouped together with other finely textured plants.
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| The contrast in form between the vertical birdhouse and the prostrate groundcover draw the eye over to this part of the garden. |
To achieve contrast in form, it is important to combine plants with different habits (spiky, round, flat, mound, fountain-like) to keep them from all blending together into one large mass. Ornamental grasses and spiky plants like Irises are great for breaking up a monotonous grouping of mounding plants. You could also try strategically placing a tall, narrow pot in a patch of prostrate, spreading plants to achieve great contrast in form. Use this technique to draw attention to a particularly interesting part of the garden or to lead the eye to a fantastic view.
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