Principles of Design #10

Principle #10   mix a palette of colors and textures

The posting today is the last of the series titled:

                               Principles of Design in use at Gardens at Waters East.

All ten (10) design principles are listed in an outline form which can be located on the November 14, 2010 posting.  Refer back to that date for the complete list of the guiding ideas used to develop and to bring unity throughout the many gardens.

It is interesting that a garden, even without flowers, can be very attractive indeed.  Flowers are the stars of a garden, but if you want your garden to continue to look good after the flowers have gone or before they show up on Fall bloomers, pay attention to leaf textures and forms.  For much of the Summer many of the perennials are not blooming.  Each kind of plant takes its turn in the spotlight as the days move through the Spring, Summer, and Fall, months.  Things are not blooming all the time.  Therefore pay close attention to the leaves, stems, structures of plants when choosing materials for your garden.  Use plantings that will have interest even when the flowers are not present.  You will be glad you did.

Within your garden make use of, tone on tone, variegated, smooth and rough, round and pointed, soft to hard, solid to lacy, leaves and stems.  In the Gardens at Waters East, these aspects of the plants are all present.  When the garden is not blooming here or there, the gardens still have great interest and variety which draws in the visitor and viewer.

Without any flowers yet present;   the textures of different green leaves ( Prairie Sunflower, Rattlesnake Master, Sedum, the large leaf Petasites - giganteus) and the driftwood gives interest to the Rain Garden.

Notice the many different textures and colors within this small area.

The wonderful light and airy texture of Blue Oat Grass 

Notice the many colors of the flowers,

and the very dark leaves and the red berries of Diablo Ninebark

There are a number of different variegated plants throughout the gardens.

Here is one example, the leaves of Ivory Halo Dogwood.

The pointed leaves of Siberian Iris, rounded leaves of Hosta, textured leaves of the Juniper, etc.

add much to this garden view. 

Here stone, steel, grass, give great hard and soft feel to the garden.

Colors and textures are in abundance.

The hard texture of stone and the dainty look of the daisies make a great combination.

Russian Sage gives a vertical form and texture mixed here with other garden plants.

Ligularia, Hosta, and the soft needles of the Yew against the driftwood fence,

shows many textured elements.

Flowers with colors and textures fill the area.

The gravel path, sight of water, greens, colors in flowers and bushes, textures,

all add interest here in the Gardens at Waters East.

Beyond the planting, as you have seen in previous postings, there are colors and textures in the rocks, barks, path ways, types of planters, etc.  Color and texture give the garden a real feel of importance.  The garden is more than just another flower bed.  There is substance to all that has been placed, and it showes.  The garden, your garden, becomes a work of art.

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