Color Theory in the Garden

I know it’s corny, but Spring has finally sprung. I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. What really delights me is the color palette of early Spring. The early leaves are various shades of bright green: chartreuse, lime green, apple green, celery green, andmoss – just to name a few.  It seems only fitting that the most prevalent flower colors in the Spring are pastels, like pinks, lavenders, and yellow, that all resonate with the pale green leaves. It’s almost as if we are being gently guided into Spring with it’s gentle colors.  Imagine if the first colors we saw in April were the bright oranges and reds of the late summer flowers. I think Nature waits for the full heat of summer to inundate us with the hot colors of red and orange.

Given that the most prevalent color in the garden is green, what color combinations can we choose to create either dramatic or calming effects? The answers can be explained with the color wheel and a quick lesson in color theory.

There are primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. The secondary colors are made by mixing pairs of primary colors to get orange, purple, and green. In order to get pastel colors, white is mixed in (for example, white and green make light-green).  Conversely, to get shades, black is mixed in (for example, black and blue make navy blue).  Colors that are located across from each other on the color wheel are called “opposite.” If they are mixed, you get a dull brown.  Have you ever mixed orange and blue, purple and yellow, or red and green? Try it sometime and see what an unpleasing color you get. 

Instead of mixing opposite colors, if they are next to each other, they react and seemingly vibrate off of each other. For example, the opposite of green on the color wheel is red. If they are next to each other, the red seems redder and the green seems greener.  Have you ever noticed that red flowers are the most dramatic in the garden? I love red flowers, but only in small doses. It’s amazing how much visual punch a garden can achieve with just a few red flowers. A garden can be filled with colorful flowers and one grouping of red tulips and the tulips will grab and hold your gaze every time. This phenomenon holds for colors close to red, such as bright pink and orange. By using flower or foliage color combinations that are opposite, you can achieve dramatic results in the garden. Examples of perennials that have reddish foliage are New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax), Smoke Tree (Cotinus coggygria) and Barberry (Berberis thunbergii). Because their foliage is so dramatic in the garden, use these plants sparingly as accents.  Too much of a good thing can cause visual overload.

If you are trying to create calming effects in your garden, try choosing color combinations that are analogous. This combination is created when 2 or 3 colors are next to each other on the color wheel. An example would be the triplet of green, yellow-green, and yellow. In planting design, one could group Yarrow (Achillea) and Spurge (Euphorbia characias).  The Yarrow has grey-green leaves and yellow flowers. The Spurge has pale green foliage and chartreuse and lime green flowers. This color combination is easy to achieve given how many local flowering plants have yellow flowers.

Another analogous color combination is lavender and pink paired with green. Lavender and pink are both pastels and are derived from purple and red which are neighbors on the color wheel. This color combination can be seen in the plant pairing of Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans) and Rockrose (Cistus purpureus).  This is an outstanding combination because both plants bloom simultaneously and for a relatively long bloom. Truly great!

Caption: Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans) and Rockrose (Cistus purpureus).

In addition to analogous color groupings, plants with secondary colors can be grouped for a pleasing effect. One of my favorites is purple/lavender and light/dark green. They seem to have enough contrast to be interesting, but aren’t so different that they clash.   An example of this color combination is the Spring bloom of so many purple-flowering plants like Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans), Spanish Lavender (Lavendula stoechas), and Statice (Limonium perezii).  The other secondary color, orange, is seen in the early bloom of Aloe (Aloe saponaria). There aren’t many early Spring flowers with orange flowers. Summer holds those hot hues.

Caption: Aloe (Aloe saponaria).

Whether using analogous or opposite color combinations, different effects can be achievedin the garden. There is a certain comfort in knowing that our tendency toward certain color combinations can be explained with science. Once we understand why plants look better in some locations than others, we can replicate that scenario in other parts of our yards.  Choose wisely and happy planting!

Designing for Ourselves

Humans are naturally drawn to the outdoors and our urge to plant comes easily. Gandhi said, “To forget how to dig the earth and to tend to the soil is to forget ourselves.”

How does our relationship with nature affect our design of our yards? In fact, there are many ways. We use plants and hardscape to create spaces that guide us on either a path or to a place in our yard.  For example, we are either walking somewhere in our yard (like to the front door) or we are pausing in a space to enjoy it (eating a meal on the patio). Good landscape design makes those two activities easy and enjoyable.

Front Yard: If we go from space to space in a typical yard, there are relationships that we have with our surroundings that can be highlighted to create well-designed areas. Let’s start at the front door. The path to the front door should feel welcoming to a guest as well and simple. The forms that greet the guest should feel like open arms. This can be translated to the path from the sidewalk to the front door. By making the pathway slightly wider at the sidewalk and then narrower as it approaches the front door, the pathway feels like it is welcoming the guest.  This relationship can also be seen in plant placement or with steps and columns. Whatever is placed farthest from the front door should then get narrower along the path as it approaches the front door. This simple design concept can improve the design of the front yard.

 Caption: Pathway is slightly wider where it meets the sidewalk.

Side Yard: Our relationship to our surrounding can also be examined in our design of the side yard. Often this is a narrow strip of land that serves as the pathway between the front yard and the back yard. Design elements can determine how this space is used and enjoyed. The walker’s speed is affected by the walking surface. Is the path a surface where walking is easy? Or is it bark chips or pebbles where walking is slightly slower and deliberate. Stepping stones will slow the walker down even more as one needs to look down for each step.  Are there things to stop and look at along the way, or is the side yard simply for circulation? 

Back Yard: Our back yards have a number of relationships that can be explored. Many back yards have views beyond the property lines. There’s a Japanese landscape design concept called “Shakkei” which means “borrowed landscape.” We “borrow” the view of our close and distant neighbors to add design value to our landscape. Sometimes we want to highlight the view by framing it with trees or other landscape elements. At other times we want to hide a view that is less desirable. We can do this by using screens of plants, walls or fences.

Back Door: Even the smallest yard can be broken up into even smaller areas to serve the multiple uses of the backyard. Perhaps you have an outdoor dining area, a vegetable garden, and an open lawn area. How do these three areas relate to each other? What is it like to stand at your back door, looking out to the back yard? Are you blinded by sunlight? If it’s raining, do you get wet? Do you step down onto a stoop or dirt?  Ideally, a backdoor threshold should be covered and paved. This offers a transition between the inside and outside world. If the area is exposed to the elements, the experience will be unpleasant and will make you resistant to going outside. A pleasant transition area lets you pause to evaluate the outdoors before embarking.

Patio: Once the transition zone is designed properly, then we can move on to the rest of the yard. Places in the yard should to feel safe for the user. In garden design terms, safe means partially enclosed. For a patio area, for instance, that is in a corner of a yard or nestled next to the house, the corner makes two so-called walls that create a sense of safety for the user. Don’t forget about the overhead plane that can be highlighted with trellises. The overhead plane can add to the enclosure feel. In contrast, if you put a patio in the middle of a lawn area, surrounded by lawn, it won’t be comfortable. Users will feel exposed and vulnerable. A gathering space should have one to three sides enclosed. 

 Caption: Patio is nestled in corner of yard.

Paths: The next issue is how do you get to the patio? Is there a clear path made of easy to walk on material? For example, the path could consist of stepping stones cut into lawn or just lawn. The stepping stones or other paved surface will invite a person to walk to the patio. Just lawn will not.

Good design entails embracing how humans use spaces. Design elements can move us along a path or make us want to stay in one place. The good news is that we are designing for ourselves, so whatever “feels good” in your yard is probably going to be good design. Follow your intuition and enjoy.

We Share our Front Yards with Our Neighbors.

From my home office, I have a great view to the backyard and can hear the fountain gurgling away. Even though I spend more time and effort on the backyard than the front yard, it is the front yard that I think serves a greater purpose. The front yard serves as the transition from the public world (our car or the sidewalk) to the private world of our houses. However, it serves our neighborhood as well.  We create and maintain the front yard for the neighborhood and the backyard for ourselves. One is the public garden and one is the private.

If the front yard is so important, how do we make it great?

Finding the Front Door:  Sometimes this is a challenge. I once visited a home in 4S Ranch where I had to bend down to avoid getting hit in the head by a giant banana tree while searching for the doorbell. I did not feel welcome.  Another poor design is a walkway leading to the front door that is lined with bee-loving shrubs like lavender.  I had to walk on the lawn to avoid the bees. The solution:  make the front door accessible with well-trimmed shrubs and trees and also with the right kind of plants.  Also, does the visitor need to walk along the driveway to get to the front door? I prefer to create a walkway from the sidewalk to the front door. This is an opportunity for nicely-designed steps or entry courtyard.  A separate walkway is nicer than asking your visitor to squeeze by your parked car in the driveway.

Driveways and Garages:  For many, the driveway is used only seconds a day as we traverse it in our cars to get to and from the garage. In this case, we only see the front yard from our cars as we go in and out of the garage.  If you have an alley garage, the front yard is experienced even less. Thus, visitors to your house are the prime users of the front yard.

 If you park your car on the street or in the driveway, pedestrian circulation should allow for an easy transition to your front door.  It is up to you how well and enjoyable that transition will be. Do you have to squeeze by your car that is parked in your driveway; trying not to get your clothes dirty as you brush by the overgrown shrubs; dodging lawn toys and potted plants to eventually find your front door?  Alternatively, as a solution, you could have a meandering path that guides you along a nicely-planted sidewalk with a fountain or specimen tree to catch your gaze?

Front Stoop: The front stoop is the last place your guest will be before entering your house. Make it comfortable. Stand outside your front door with a couple other people and ask yourself:  Do you feel crowded? Are you worrying about stepping on a plant or knocking over a potted plant? Is there a cover over your head? Is the stoop well-lit? If it’s raining, will your guest be protected from the rain? How does the stoop feel on a hot day? A well-positioned tree can help make the stoop shady and comfortable.

Pleasant view from the street:  Another characteristic of a well-designed front yard is the view from the street. Since we share our front yards with our neighbors, ask:  How does your front yard look from the other side of the street? You probably can’t see the tiny weeds that might bother you as you walk to your front yard, but you might notice larger scale items like an unbalanced pruning job on a tree.  General tidiness, or lack thereof, can be noticed from that distance.  The front yards in 4S Ranch and Del Sur are typically small.  As a general rule, small spaces are more pleasing to the eye when they are simple.  Some simple design ideas are a hedge that follows the walkway to the front door, a few trees for scale and shade, and perennials and annuals for seasonal color. When choosing flower colors, stick to 2 or 3 because too many colors in a front yard can ultimately look messy. There are many variations on this design idea, but just remember the simpler the better.

To sum up, it might feel like you are holding back your creativity in your design of your front yard. Save that for the backyard – where you can really express yourself.

Decorative Edibles

A typical vegetable garden is usually a scraggily mess. The tomato plant has fallen over, the harvested lettuce has left a vacant hole in the soil and the cucumber vine has taken over most of the plant bed. There is a reason that most the vegetable gardens are placed out of sight. 

However, there is a new trend to integrate vegetable and fruit plants into one’s landscape instead of dedicating a single area for them. This is called “Edible Landscaping.” The question is how can one sprinkle a lettuce or a tomato plant next to a hedge? It’s easy when one follows a few tips.

First, let’s look at how and why there has been an increase in growing one’s own food.  A quick Google search lends to multiple companies in San Diego that specialize in Edibles alone. Some will design and plant them and even come harvest for you. More people are growing their own produce for many reasons. It tastes great. You have control over pesticides and herbicides. You are reducing your impact on the environment as there is less gas used to get you your fresh salad. It’s a great opportunity to teach your kids about gardening and the rewards of a little elbow grease. Finally, there is a tremendous reward in eating something that you helped create.

Herbs are an easy candidate for scattering into your yard. They rely on their foliage for their looks, so there is no reliance on flowers or fruits. Rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano grow well in San Diego and can be integrated into any perennial border. With the exception of rosemary which can grow to 3 feet or more, the herbs are small and should be planted next to a walkway or somewhere where they can be accessed easily. If you are cooking and need a sprig of basil, you want to be able to step outside quickly to break off a bunch of basil or other herb.  Other veggies that work well in the landscape are green leaf veggies like lettuce, spinach, kale, and swiss chard. If you don’t end up harvesting the leaves and instead let these go to flower, they can create a beautiful display. Artichokes also have an amazing flower if you don’t harvest the flower bud.

In terms of design, I recommend that there be a strong design framework off which the herbs or leafy veggies can play on. That is, maybe there is an evergreen hedge next to the green leafy veggies. When the lettuce is harvested and messy, at least the hedge behind it will help visually organize the space.  This design concept can help organize any garden, but is particularly useful when parts of the garden are changing in appearance frequently.

Fruit trees are another great way to integrate edibles into your yard. There’s no need to create a dedicated orchard for your fruit trees. Rather, they can pull double duty as shade-producers and fruit-bearers. Popular fruit trees for this area are citrus, pomegranate, fig, stone fruit (peach, plum, and apricot), kumquat, and apple (low-chill varieties).

If space is tight in your yard, you can plant vertically with vines. Grapes grow well with some support like a trellis. You can also try espaliered trees where a small tree is trained to grow along a fence or wall in a flat plane. Some nurseries sell fruit trees that are already growing on in this manner.

Some other practical notes are that edibles usually require moderate maintenance so you will need to make sure that the plants can be easily accessed. Place the plants near a walkway or near a foot path so that you can tend to them often. Edibles need regular water; more than your typical low-water Mediterranean plants. You may need to supplement their water regimen with some hand watering.  The edibles will also typically require full sun and well-drained soil.

Expect a quick turn-around for your edible plants. Most veggies grow from seed or sprig to mature plant with harvest in one or two seasons (for instance, Spring to Summer, or Summer to Fall). After you harvest, you may need to replace the plant all together. This is different than perennials where you may plant in year one and not replace them for several years. Fruit trees usually take 3-5 years to reach maturity with harvesting its maximum yield.

Edible landscaping can be a great idea for homeowners who want to experiment with fruit and vegetable planting but don’t want to create a raised garden bed. It’s easy to find a patch of soil in the yard where you can try a tomato plant or a fence where a grape vine could grow. Give it a try and you may be turned onto the joys of growing, harvesting, and eating your own food. Enjoy.

Vines for Vertical Planting

Living in the suburbs on small lots means that open ground space for gardening is precious.  A gardener must take advantage of every growing area, even on vertical planes. Many yards are surrounded by fences or walls which make perfect canvases for green foliage and flowers. The view to the fence line is even more important given that it is the terminus of our sightline when we are viewing the garden either from within the house or standing in it. This article will discuss various types of vines, how these vines grow best, and provide some design tips for vertical gardening.

Vine Growing Habits: Vines are usually sold with their branches trained on a structure such as a lattice or stake. Depending on the type of vine, the branches are attached to the structure in different ways: either the plant physically attaches to the structure (by twining or suckers) or the plant is manually attached by flexible tape. 

Twining Vines:  These vines have small tendrils that will grow and reach to find something to attach to and then twirl around that object. Examples of these vines are: Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), and Passion Flower (Passiflora pfordtii), seen above. When planting these vines, be sure that the plant has something to grow on and attach to.  Some homeowners are concerned that a vine would cause damage to a wall or fence. One way to avoid this problem is to plant a twining vine on a lattice, but to not lean the lattice on the wall or fence. Instead, the lattice attaches to the wall with eye-hooks so that the lattice is a few inches away from the wall with the plant planted in the ground directly underneath. The tendrils will not attach to a flat fence or wall. The eye-hooks can be unhooked and the lattice with the plant can be tipped away from the wall while remaining in the ground. With the lattice tipped at an angle (with something to temporarily brace it), the wall can be accessed for painting or other maintenance.

 Passion Flower

Vines with Suckers: Some vines have small suckers that attach to surfaces and allow the vine to climb up walls and fences. Examples of these are Ivy (Hedera species) and Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila).  These two vines are vigorous and perfect for a quick cover on a wall or fence. Homeowners should be cautious, however, because if the vine becomes too aggressive and the vine is removed, a stain and residue may be left where the sucker was attached. The stain can be scraped off and the wall may need to be repainted. If a permanent wall covering is your goal, then this kind of vine may be a good solution.

Vines that need manual attachment: Finally, there are some vines that need human intervention to climb up a vertical surface. These vines need a lot of attention, and some homeowners think that their beauty is worth it. An example of this vine is climbing rose (Rosa species). They may need a tie to brace them now and then, but this should not be a chronic problem. The branches can be gently bent to weave around any structure that you choose.

Vines can also grow down vertical walls.  One can plant a vine at the top of a wall as well as the bottom of a wall and let them grow in both directions for an interesting effect. Another design idea is to plant vines with different bloom times (i.e. early spring and mid-summer) in the same planting area so that an area has flowers spanning multiple seasons.  

Whether it’s a twining vine or one with suckers, vines will give you a vertical accent in your garden.  Vines can be useful when you have a very small area of actual ground, but you need coverage at eye level. They need attention to help guide their growth, but their beauty will be worth the effort.

Gardening on an Island

Container gardening is an easy way to garden when ground space isn’t available. Perhaps you are faced with a courtyard without planting areas. Or, you have a second story patio where you desire some greenery. Container planting includes pots sitting on a patio, window boxes, and hanging baskets.  Pots are wonderful in that they are portable- you can move them around to accommodate your needs. Historically, the French used pots to grow their citrus trees so that they could move them into greenhouses in the cold months. For all the flexibility that container gardening has to offer, there are a few tips that might help you to achieve the perfect potted plant environment.

The Island Effect: When clients tell me they want to include some containers with plants in their garden, I remind them that potted plants are isolated like an island. They cannot draw nutrients from the adjacent soil. They cannot suck up water from their neighbors either. Therefore, any water or nutrients that the plants receive must be given by you, the gardener.  For irrigation, either the pots can be hand-watered or drip irrigation tubing can be installed. The tubes are very flexible and can be hooked up to the automatic irrigation system that you may have already. The nutrients will come from the potting soil and any fertilizer that you may add periodically. Because the pots are exposed to the elements on all sides, they will be the first thing in the garden to feel the heat and the cold. On really hot days, plants may need to be watered twice daily; on very cold nights, you may need to protect the plants from frost with netting or similar coverings.

The Container: There are several different kinds of pots that can be used for plants. Conventional pots are made of clay, plastic, or metal. Local gardening nurseries and home improvement stores have an abundant selection. Personally, I shop at Canyon Pottery in KearnyMesa (www.canyonpottery.com).  They offer wholesale prices to the public and have a great selection. Other favorites of mine are the Madd Potter (www.maddpotter.com) and Cordova Gardens, both in Encinitas.

Whatever pot you choose, make sure there are holes in the bottom for adequate drainage. If the pot is over 12” tall, then add drainage rock a few inches deep at the bottom of the pot.  Otherwise, the weight of the soil will clog the holes and the plants will rot and die. The drainage rock can be any rocks that are 1”-3” wide.

Saucers or Feet: There are two different ways to address the bottom of the pot. One is to place a saucer under the pot to collect the water that drips out of the pot. This is a good solution if you are concerned about stains on the pavement underneath the pot. The saucer may need to be emptied occasionally of overflow water. Sometimes the standing water can attract pests and fungus and look unsightly. Alternatively, the pots can be elevated using “feet.” They can be decorative and part of the overall look, or they can be hidden under the pot and out of view. The pot can be off of the ground and allow air circulation under the pot. You may find drips of the water from the pot, but it can be washed away with a hose or a good rain.

The Soil: Use soil that is specifically labeled as Potting Soil. This soil is designed for containers and contains perlite or vermiculite which provides air space. If regular soil is used, it will compact over time and your plants will decline. If you are planting succulents, then use a potting soil that is labeled for succulents. This soil has added sand which will allow very fast drainage - essential for succulent plants’ health.

The Plants:  There are numerous plants that are suitable for containers: annuals, perennial, edibles, succulents, woody plants and bulbs. Whatever you decide to plant, pay attention to the plant as its needs will be immediately evident.  One day the plant is fine, and the next it is dire need of water. As far as design, if I am creating a container with multiple plants, I like to have one foundation plant as an anchor. This might be an evergreen shrub or succulent that will look good most of the year. Then I add other plants for added visual interest. Attached is a photo showing an example of a container planting that I completed recently. The Phormium (New Zealand Flax) served as the anchor plant and then the Echeveria ‘Afterglow’ was added as support. I chose the boxy black containers to support the modern design of the client’s architecture.

Container planting can a great way to experiment with small scale gardening. Its portability can offer the flexibility that you might be seeking in your garden. Container gardening is not for the absent gardener, but for those who are willing to be attentive, it can be very rewarding.