GARDEN COLOUR 63 



In the small garden we should avoid violent contrasts, 

 even though they may be effective as regards colour ; 

 also such subtle harmonies as tend to produce a gene- 

 rally tame and spiritless ensemble. An impression of 

 space and breadth may be conveyed by the adoption of 

 suitable colour schemes, surely a better and more legiti- 

 mate form of deception than the making of twisted 

 paths and other stupid contrivances to increase the 

 apparent size of a piece of ground. Above all, we must 

 so group our colours that they merge boldly and easily 

 into one another ; nothing is more irritating than the 

 spottiness of certain mixed borders which have much the 

 same appearance as a patchwork quilt. In planting a 

 garden we are in reality painting a picture : the earth is 

 our canvas ; the outlines of beds, lawn margin, and paths 

 form the charcoal sketch ; our paints are living flowers. 

 And as before starting to work the artist has in mind 

 a clear conception of the effect he hopes to produce, 

 so also must the gardener if he would avoid ultimate 

 disappointment. 



Certain colours look best in certain places. In a 

 bright, sunny border, a feature should be made of plants 

 bearing flowers of vivid hues — scarlet, rich crimson, full 

 purple, gold, and orange. In shady quarters, among 

 shrubs or beneath trees, pale, cool colours should pre- 

 dominate — sulphur yellows, creamy whites, blues, 

 mauve, and lilac. As a rule, we find a converse arrange- 

 ment adopted, showy colours being used to brighten" 

 dull corners, whilst less pronounced shades are given 

 full exposure and sunshine, in the belief that they will 

 be strengthened thereby. This is not so really, as the 

 effect of sunshine is to bleach such colours as mauve and 

 lilac, until they appear almost white ; similarly, all depth and 

 richness is lost in shaded reds and crimson, which in sunless 

 places look dull, heavy, and uninteresting. The question 

 of aspect, then, is the colour designer's first attention. 



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