My garden has lots of white and yellow, and all shades of purple from lavendar to deep rich purple. I'd like to have lots of pink in it but just can't seem to find the flowers. Last year I tossed annual seeds of pink cosmos and it was beautiful. I'm trying to just stick with perennials though and haven't found any pink this year.

I think my ideal garden would be pastels. I just have a hard time achieving a continuous bloom sticking with the lavenders and pinks. So I buy all sorts of colors.

Then again, I just absolutely love lots of white because it pops in the evening. I can sit on my patio in the dark and see my garden because of the white flowers.

White's also best for shade because it doesn't blend it. It's like a 'bright' for shady areas. The blues are too dark for shade because they just blend in. I only have a small shady area but that's my experience. The rest of my garden is sunny.

I just never seem to own red. I guess I feel it's too bright and powerful and clashes with everything else I have.

How about cleome? It is a beautiful pink/lavender now and the larkspur is also still holding out.

Cleome and laarkspur are both beautiful flowers. I had those when I spread annual seeds one year. Maybe I should start planting annuals again each spring. I wonder if it's too late to start some now. Maybe they'll bloom in the fall.

I just prefer the permanence of perennials. The weirdest thing is that I haven't seen pink perennials at the garden stores this year. I like tall plants with lots of color.

Right now my garden is planted with plants I like, regardless of color..... I think I pay slightly more attention to foliage than I do color.

I'd like to change that, I want a vibrant perennial border look with more bright colors! I may even try and do somekind of color theory border and REALLY pay attention to the colors I'm putting in.
-Or I may just keep on planting willy nilly, LOL

Over the years it seems I go through phases. There was a time when pink/lavender/blue were the only colors I would ALLOW in my garden - and yellow? No Way. But then a few light, buttery yellows followed in the form of daylilies that were fragrant and bloomed when everything else was "resting". The yellows became more vibrant as forsythia, euphorbia, lysimachea were added. Now yellow is one of my favs!

We painted the house last year using "National Historic Registry" colors, and the muted, warm tones of the house clashed with the cool pastels that were out there. Along came salmons, then yes - ORANGE! and deep, dark REDS and PURPLES! set off beautifully by chartruese and golden foliage plants. Hot Cocoa rose has proven to be a favorite of mine - it's a hands-down most disliked rose on the Roses forum so I have to laugh about that. Always the rebel!

But someone, please, strike me dead if I ever plant red white and blue petunias! ;>>

Too funny, floragal! I'll be the first in line to strike you if you plant red, white and blue petunias but only if you promise to do the same for me!

I've been thinking lately of 'rooms.' You see them in the garden magazines--yards sections off into 'rooms.' I think with 'rooms' I could have all sorts of gardens. I could have a pastel garden, a white garden, a bright garden, an exotic looking garden. The list is endless. That's a lot of work. I guess I could make it my 15 year plan! lol

I've got a "room" thing going in my garden, sort of.

The front of the house is sunny and traditional, with red brick and blue shutters, so the front garden is flowery and brightly colored and meadowy.

The back of the house has a more modern feel, stucco walls with taupe trim and green windows, and several seating areas. The garden there is modern, lots of weird foliage plants with blue, lime-green or burgundy leaves, hardly any flowers. Freaky stuff I always thought I hated, but now I love it!

The contrast is fun.

Kato: You're right about the foliage thing - after all, most perennials only bloom a few weeks at best. The rest of the time we're looking at foliage.

maggiecola: I gotcha covered!

And rooms are great! In addition to the different garden "themes", they give a nice, intimate feeling. I have an odd-shaped property - very long and narrow. I've been able to divide it into rooms with pergolas, screens, a shed, and a small picketed fenced area. Also, using different ground covers - grass, pavers, wood chips, etc. will break up a space visually.

So... I ended up with the "front garden" where all the warm colors are, then a "woodland walk" filled with native wildflowers and foliage plants, next comes the "patio room" where all my hostas and astilbes (and friends) hang out (they say it looks and feels like a living room). Then there's the "pond area" full of tropicals in containers and other odd plants, the "lawn area" with mixed borders, then finally the rose garden complete with picket fence and brick walkways. All this is on an area approx. 30' x 200'!! Yep, they're packed in tight! But it fits all my interests and it's fun to experiment.

pipersville - I, too used to hate the "weird foliage plants" but I'm now hooked as well.

Floragal- I told my wife what you said about red, white, and blue petunias.... she's anxious to meet you! (that was what she wanted for the hanging pots last year LOL, didn't happen!)
I'm jealous of all these well organized gardens! Mine is all over the place and disfunctional :)
I did put in a "tropical garden" in the front yard last weekend though.... the beds kind of create a room and there is a sorta-theme of big foliage and gaudy colors.... Paula I'm not quite the respectable neighbor who keeps the plants of questionable character hidden in back. I put it all out there for people to see!

But then of course I'm on a dead end, so there aren't as many people coming by... so I may not be as brave as I'm trying to appear.

I have so many color schemes going on I don't know where to start. A lot of the schemes are seasonal and in sections of the property. I use ALL of the colors and also many types of foliage. I do lean a lot toward all shades of pink from pale to a deep rose with silver/white and chartruse accents. Springtime is when I use more vibrant shades in the yard. Oranges, purples, and lots of yellow. After the long winter, the color energizes me. This summer I am particularly fond of a shady area that is planted with many hostas. The huge chartruse leaves of sum and substance and the vibrant red astilbe really made that shady area POP. Pink, however has been my favorite color for a long time and it comes through when I plant my window boxes and planters.

I took a look at my hanging baskets this morning. I really like the colors, purple-yellow-blue with the chartreuse sweet potato in there too (are these "jewel tones"?). They look lush and colorful.....
BUT. I've been looking out into the garden and I hate the colors in almost every part. Don't get me wrong- I love the individual plants- but the color combinations make me yawn or just do nothing for me.... it's a hodge podge. I think I need an extreme garden makeover and need to add some brighter colors or something. I have plenty of blooms but it's unsatisfying.

That's exactly the word I'm looking for, unsatisfying.
***except of course for my new tropical garden! I'm very satisfied with that part!***

I am soooooo jealous of all of you.

I'm happy just to see that my plants haven't been eaten by deer.

I found an amazing book at barns and nobel the other day!

Garden Combinations by Burrell

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0875968066/104-1462550-1154312?v=glance&n=283155

Each open paged area has a photograph of a garden area showing a color scheme. Then there is a drawing showing how to plant them for the effect. There is a section on the two pages explaining the care for each plant and substitute plants for other growing regions.

There are pages and pages of color combinations and designs. It's nice there's a photo for each because you can see for sure that all the plants will bloom at the same time.

Not only are there different color schemes to chose from but there are groupings for different soil types, sunlight needs, and all sorts of things.

I highly recommend this book. It's $29.99 at barns and nobel but $18 from amazaon. (Why didn't I find out how much money can be saved on amazon before this?!!?!? lol)