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Garden Color: How to Landscape With Purple
Abloom with just violets and plums or with energetic contrasting accents, a garden swathed in purple is a sight to behold
Houzz Contributor. I'm a home and garden writer and the former editor of both Country Gardens and Country Home. When I'm not writing or editing, I can be found in the garden or renovating our family's 1860s brick farmhouse.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a home and garden writer and the former editor of... More »
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Purple can be used to help create a desirable mood in the garden — from peaceful to romantic to inspiring. In color theory purple traditionally indicates knowledge, self-respect, spirituality, dignity and wealth. In the landscape it promotes feelings of inner calm and self-worth, providing a sense of refuge. It also is considered useful for creative inspiration and insight. If you feel drawn to violet, lavender, plums and deep purples, here are five tips for adding this hue to your yard.
| 1. Adopt a Color Strategy As with all colors, too much purple can backfire. Still, a single color scheme can work if you use enough variation. Here, for instance, light lilac catmint 'Walker's Low' and dark purple salvia leucantha 'Midnight' create sufficient contrast to keep this peaceful planting from growing dull. |
For a broader palette, choose an analogous color scheme that combines neighboring hues on the color wheel, as in this front garden with its soothing blend of blue, violet and purple. The plant selections include dwarf catmint Nepeta mussinii, alliums and purple salvia.
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| Complementary colors (hues from the opposite side of the color wheel) can bring out the best in each other. Here, fiery yellow adds a colorful punch and energizing contrast to cool purple salvia. |
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| 2. Go Formal or Casual Associated with both royalty and serenity, purple is at home in any style of garden. Planted en masse, spiked purple flowers like salvia or Veronica make an elegant choice for a formal bed. |
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| Likewise, purple is at home in casual settings, as evident in this lupine meadow. |
3. Think Beyond Plants
Add purple to the landscape by painting trimwork, front doors, arbors, gates or containers. A mix of energetic red and peaceful blue, purple has the unique ability to work well with both cool and warm color schemes.
Add purple to the landscape by painting trimwork, front doors, arbors, gates or containers. A mix of energetic red and peaceful blue, purple has the unique ability to work well with both cool and warm color schemes.
A trio of purple — plants, a pot and a painted front door — greets visitors to this charming residence.
When to Paint Your Door Purple
When to Paint Your Door Purple
| The color of old-time favorites like lilacs, violets, irises and hydrangeas, purple is sometimes pegged as an old-fashioned hue. Designer Margie Grace threw that nostalgic notion a curve with these mod purple arbors. |
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| 4. Set a Mood Lavender is thought to enhance feelings of inspiration and insight, making it an ideal choice for a contemplative garden. |
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by Leslie Rohrer
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| According to color theory, purples and soft mauves are gentle hues that help ease strong emotions. Make your yard a haven with this color combo's soothing hues. (Plants shown include astilbe chinensis 'Visions' and hydrangea 'Endless Summer'. ) |
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| Purple makes a romantic gesture in this lovely dining spot, where clematis climbs the trellis to create a privacy screen. |
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by jenny_hardgrave
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| 5. Don't Forget Foliage Dark purple foliage makes an excellent accent. Consider ground covers, such as setcreasea purpurea, for a swath of purple in a garden bed. |
The deep purple-black of bugbane (cimicifuga ramosa) 'Hillside Black Beauty' creates a striking foil against silvery eryngium and pink astilbe. The plant produces pale white spires in the fall.
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by Shelley Gardea
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| Drought-tolerant gardens can get in on the purple act with a broad choice of succulents steeped or tinged with the eye-catching hue. |
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| Even shrubs like American beautyberry can add a touch of purple to delight the eye. |
Ideabook published on Jan. 8, 2013.
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But this is just glorious. Great piece, thank you!
The mod purple arbors are my favorite. One could argue they were sculptures in a garden.
The geometry is ENTHRALLING. I can't get enough of how the shapes stand out against the greenery and sky. BEAUTIFUL.