Help Me Splash More Color in the Garden

[Plant Woman]

I'm not afraid of color and like what paint can do to WOW up a place. I also like putting together found stuff and do something unexpected. But I thought it might be fun to ask for some color ideas and the possibilities of this project could be endless.

Click on the thumbnails so you can see what I am going to put together.

First photo shows the courtyard in front of the house. I have planted and fenced for privacy so until you walk down the pathway from the driveway you don't see it right away. This is going to all be paved with flagstone, or I may get creative with concrete and do some mosaics with beach glass.

Behind the Adirondack chairs I plan to put up a wall that will just be a little wider than the placements of the chairs. That way the chairs don't have their backs exposed, which is more comfortable than open in back. It will be made of wood or perhaps have stucco. Undecided yet. The brown pot with tree behind the chairs will be pushed back to where the wood stove is (barely seen behind and to the right of the potted tree in the first photo. I want to paint the Adirondack chairs. I have one more coming to me so there will be three, which one will be placed where the bluegreen chair is now.

In the second photo you can see the path that comes down from the driveway. You walk under a canopy of trees there and then it opens up to the sunny courtyard where the chairs are. I designed this to make it feel like you are stepping into another world. The path is flanked by rock walls.

In the third photo shows the backside of the chairs and the maple tree in a container.

In the fourth photo a cobalt blue glass water feature that drips water into a very large container and is on the opposite corner where the Adirondack chairs reside. You can see the mint green of our house color in the fifth photo and the trim is white, the front door is purple.

In the sixth photo is a large art deco style mirror I found at a flea market that I would like to put on the wood wall behind the chairs. It can be repainted too. It was uncanny that the color matches the fence color, which was a lot greener when first painted and faded to the turquoise color. We are going to paint it another color as the faded color doesn't go well with the mint green house color.

Straight across from the Adirondack chairs (seventh photo) is a large purple pot that houses the banana. A new Adirondack chair will replace the bluish green chair is. A path leads up to an arbor gate that steps onto the street side of the property. As you can see it's very private. It used to be all exposed to the street and it feels much cozier after I terraced it put in rock walls and planted with shrubs and trees.

So this is what I have. The only color that we can't change is the house color. Well we can, but we don't want to. I thought about painting the wall the same color as the house, then have the Adirondack chairs and mirror in accent colors. Cobalt blue is in the glass fountain so that can't be changed.

So any one care to push some colors around and help me decide a good way to go?

[godfry n. glad]

You've seen my garden pix (and even been there). I tend to like screamin' yellows for accents. Hence, the increasing number of rudbeckia which appear around my place.

Of course, what colors do you want when?

Right now, rudbeckia, along with all kinds of lilies, are major color spots in my garden. I also interplant (and have been adding) echinacea for soft pinks and some whites.

I've a sizeable bush in my Rose of Sharon 'Red Heart' and it is now a focal point for the back, dark corner of my back yard. They come in nice pinks, too.

At other times of the year....well, other plants are indicated and you know far more about them than I.

From what I understand, whites would be eccentuated by the existing blues.

I'm not sure about your shade around there, either. A lot of the "color" in my garden requires a fair amount of sun. Whereas, if you've shady areas, then Busy Lizzies or other types of impatiens might be helpful.

Reds could be added in with some use of geraniums...

[Plant Woman]

I should have been more clear, I am trying to come up with paint colors for the wall, chairs, mirror etc.

Sorry about that!

[godfry n. glad]

Ah...okay....

au natural, then. I tend to like natural wood tones. Even those faded by the sun and rain.

But that's just me.

Hmmm....I'd say a geranium red for the chairs and the mirror surround in a cobalt that matches the fountain with the rest of the fence in natural wood. That's just a stab.

When I do this stuff, I worry it for months. When Ivy was around, she had the power to veto my ideas and she was a demon for color coordination (being the fiber artiste she was). Our coordination was pretty good, actually.

[Pinecone]

I stuck the chairs in my paint program, and I liked them in a dark blue/grey neutral color so your eye was more drawn to the flowers. I'm not much help with the splashing of the color!! But I'd be happy to change them any color you want, so you can test out ideas.

[maddog]

that's brilliant, pinecone!

#1820

[godfry n. glad]

Heh...That's the color they'd be with natural weathering. Or, close.

Could you try a geranium red? (Like one of the flower colors in the orb behind the chairs.)

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by godfry n. glad

Heh...That's the color they'd be with natural weathering. Or, close.

Could you try a geranium red? (Like one of the flower colors in the orb behind the chairs.)

Ok!

[Pinecone]

[Qingdai]

I'd put some flagstones in that have glass chips in them. That should add some color. I've had friends that have made them at home too, if you have a lot of beach glass, that could be one way to add color.

Adding jewel tones (like that pretty blue water fountain you have) in the form of pillows for your chairs, trim and bric-a-brac would set off the lush greens and other colors (like those nice red leaves).

For the chairs I'd go for a creamy yellow.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

We have 2 adirondack chairs. One is a lilac, one is yellow (but not unbearably bright.. about the shade of Qingdai's avatar)

[cappuccino]

I like the idea of accessorizing with jewel tones to balance with all the beautiful intense greens. Geranium red is a lovely color but I think it makes the chairs stand out too much, I like the idea of painting it a more natural weathered neutral grey shade and adding geranium red pillows or some other items. I believe you're in a rainy climate, Plant Woman so outdoors pillows and such may not be feasible.

The art deco mirror could be painted in a shade of cobalt coordinating with the glass sculpture or if you want more variety of colors, Geranium red or even a shade of warm yellow or banana yellow would look good with the greens, blues, and reds.

I like the gravel, it makes a soft undertone to your garden, I think a few flagstones strategically placed will compliment the gravel path. It would be a nice design touch if the flagstones coordinated with the existing rock walls you have.

Given all the variety of plants, shades of greens and colors you have in your garden, it seems to me that solid colors would be best for your furniture and additional structures.

[LadyShea]

My garden is very whimsical, with lots of found objects. I love bright colors and crazy unexpected things, like an aqua boat and a scary Santa my BIL dumpster dived and stuck under our palm tree. That may be too unsophisticated for you though .

Here on the Redneck Riviera we paint our Adirondack chairs and all accessories sherbet colors or even multi colored. Our neighbor painted his boat shed with sky, clouds, palm trees, and tropical flowers...a mural on one of your walls or fences might be cool. Really you can go as crazy or as subdued as you like.

[Plant Woman]

These are great ideas! I agree with all the recommendations for using jewel tones and solid colors. Plus during the rainy months of winter, something bright and cheery is great in the garden. Especially since I can see it from my windows and walk by it on the way to the car.

Pinecone that is so cool! Can we try the yellow too? I have seen those chairs in that bright pink and they were a knockout in a garden I toured a few years ago where they sat in the middle of a huge expanse of lawn.

I love whimsy as you can see over my front door in photo below, the sun is not something you would call sophisticated. Sophisticated whimsy? I would love to see some of your whimsy? I'll show you mine, if you show me yours? Maybe we could do a thread on whimsicalities! I love gardens with whimsy!

[Pinecone]

Yellow chairs coming up!

The glowing red of demon-tainted blood of the innocents is a good look. I've used it in several gardens, nursery schools, churches and K-Marts.