GARDENING: Color is key for welcoming winter

Want cool season color but worried about water? Don’t feel like you have to plant the entire landscape with color.

Since seasonal color typically comes from flowering annuals that bloom all season long be sure to place it where it gives the greatest pay off in terms of money, effort and water. Plan your color where you and others will see it.

Color is important at the front door. If used correctly it will catch the attention of visitors, leading the eye and footsteps to the front door. Color can make your entrance a grand and welcoming experience for guests. This same principle can be used by businesses who depend on trade from the passerby.

Cool season color planted under and around trees, at the corners of your house or other random spots in the front yard may not be the best use of your resources. These “floating beds” of seasonal color can even be confusing to the observer. Also, planting seasonal color at the base of trees may not be doing the trees any favors in terms tree health. The exception would be if you look out on any of these areas from key windows or areas that you enjoy seeing...then it’s important.  

In most cases seasonal color is not best used in side yards, unless you have a window or area where you will see it. In the backyard color near a sunroom, patio, kitchen window or any other key window is very important.

Accent areas are often visible from the patio or sunroom or key windows, so this is a good place to put seasonal color. We are indoors more through the cooler months so make sure you will be able to see the color where it will be planted.

How much color? A solid planting of one or two colors in an accent area orcontainers can be enough to get the attention of the most unobservant...observer. A two to three foot square area of color can deliver a great deal of color. The key is to keep to one, two or three different colors and species at the most.

If your chosen planting site is quite a distance from the observer, use warm colors. Warm colors, like red, yellow and orange, tend to advance to the viewer and get their attention. If the planting site is close to the viewer, cool colors, like purple, lavender and blue, which recede can be used.

When using more than one color select analogous colors, complimentary colors or use with a neutral color for the best display. Analogous are colors next to one another on the color wheel. Complimentary are opposite on the color wheel. Then any color can be paired with a neutral which would be beige, ivory, taupe, black, gray, or white. If you plant in a shady area avoid purple which will get lost in the shadows.

When it comes to watering, hand watering may be in order unless your seasonal color areas are on a separate station. Since established trees, shrubs and perennials only need winter water 1- 3 times a month...custom watering may be in order...that is hand watering...another good reason to limit how much seasonal color you plant.

Seasonal color in containers is ideal for the front porch, patio or even in an accent area. Use a variety of sizes for interest. If all your pots are the same height, stagger their height by elevating some on a pedestal or prop.  

So, don’t delay, get your pansy, viola, cabbage, snapdragons and other cool season color in place for the cooler season.