One way to attract attention to your home is to landscape with the use of color. It brings interest by creating dimensions to the landscape. You can take advantage of the color wheel to help you create an exciting work of art on your own lawn. Start with some of the basics and work your way up as you learn what works best.

Working with warm vs. cool colors

• To bring warmth through color, consider red, red-orange and yellow. Warm colors are more dramatic and can add visual interest to your garden, but if used in excess can be overwhelming.
•Cool colors like green, blue, blue-green, blue-violet, and violet are good for viewing close up.
• Warm colors are seen by the eye first while cool colors after. If planted side by side at a distance, the warm colors will appear closer and the cool colors further away and can be planted in many arrays to create illusions. Plant cool colors at the back of the garden to create a yard that appears larger, warm colors will make the yard seem smaller.

Design With Color Schemes

There are several color schemes you can utilize to create an interesting effect in your garden.

• Monochromatic Color Scheme:this color scheme uses different tints and shades of onecolor.
• Analogous Color Scheme:this scheme utilizes colors that are adjacent on the color wheel (like orange, red-orange and yellow).

• Complementary Color Scheme:these colors are opposite from each other on the color wheel.Common complementary colors are red and green. They are often contrasting colors that can create some interesting effects in a garden.If you want to try and blend strong colors, arrange them so that they intermingle, rather than being clearly defined.

• Polychromatic Color Scheme: these include a blend of all colors. These arrangements often have a festive appearance. Usually the result of sporadic planting, these arrangements can sound intimidating but can produce pleasing combinations.

Before Planting

•Be aware of surrounding vegetation, scenery and buildings to avoid clashing with surroundings or blending in with it.
•Most colors will look good with white, cream or gray, but it is harder to choose plants that go well with more vivid colors.
•Use caution when choosing colored foliage. Although the plants will have color all season, plants with gold, blue, purple or silver-gray leaves are uncommon in nature and can look like they don't belong.
•Bright colors (purples, reds) might not look real in a rural or informal setting.
•To avoid having a certain plant that is out of place, add other plants similar in color spaced out with additional colors of plants to unite them together.
•Variegated plants have leaves that are stripped, rimmed or spotted, generally with white and if not used carefully can look sickly.  They can be masked by using other plants with white in them to create a blended effect.

A well-planned garden of color can be a feast for the eyes and can substantially increase the value of your home.