Combining Colours with Intention: Warm, Cool, and Contrasts

Every garden tells a story. Some whisper, others sing. And colour? That’s the emotional tone of the whole tale.

Colour doesn’t just decorate the garden—it shapes it. It makes space feel larger or cozier, calm or electric. A garden of cool purples and soft whites feels like exhale. Swap in bold oranges and reds, and suddenly you’re at a summer carnival.

But when you combine colours intentionally—with thought and feeling rather than just impulse—you create something that resonates deeply. Something that feels just right.

Let’s dig into three powerful ways to use colour: warm, cool, and contrast.

🌞 Warm Colours: Bold, Bright, and Full of Life

Think: reds, oranges, yellows, and corals. These are the colours that catch the eye and lift the spirit. They make your garden feel warm and energized—even on overcast days.

💐 Garden stars in warm hues:

• Echinacea ‘Sombrero Salsa Red’ – Rich, spicy red with a strong upright form.

• Coreopsis ‘Sunkiss’ – Bright yellow with a dark centre, like a little sun of its own.

• Gaillardia ‘Mesa Peach’ – Sunset-toned petals and heat-loving attitude.

• Achillea ‘Paprika’ – Coral-red yarrow that holds its colour beautifully.

🌿 Use them to:

• Draw attention to an entryway or focal point

• Make a space feel cozy and inviting

• Create high energy in hot, sunny areas

🌊 Cool Colours: Soft, Calming, and Graceful

Blues, purples, silvers, and soft pinks bring a peaceful, dreamy feeling. They invite you to slow down and breathe. Cool tones also make small spaces feel bigger—like a visual exhale.

💐 Cool and collected favourites:

• Salvia ‘Caradonna’ – Deep violet-blue with striking dark stems.

• Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ – Lavender-blue haze with a constant gentle hum of pollinators.

• Geranium ‘Rozanne’ – Long-blooming purple with graceful sprawl.

• Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ – Silvery leaves and tiny blue blooms like fairy dust.

🌿 Use them to:

• Cool down hot corners

• Soften bold compositions

• Build a restful, meditative feel

🎨 Contrast: Where the Magic Happens

Warm and cool colours together? That’s where contrast brings drama, movement, and balance. It’s like sweet and salty, or florals with denim—it just works.

💐 Try these dynamic duos:

• Achillea ‘Sunny Seduction’ + Salvia ‘May Night’ – Lemon yellow meets violet spike.

• Coreopsis ‘Zagreb’ + Nepeta ‘Cat’s Meow’ – Sunshine and smoky lavender.

• Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’ – A mix of warm and cool tones in one plant = instant contrast.

• Liatris spicata + Gaillardia ‘Arizona Sun’ – Spires and daisy shapes, purple meets flame.

🌿 Use contrast to:

• Highlight plant forms and textures

• Add bold personality to containers or small beds

• Keep the eye moving through the landscape

✏️ Colour Tips from the Garden Bench

🎯 Start with a feeling. Do you want calm? Energy? Romance? Let that guide your palette.
🪴 Use repetition. Repeating colours creates harmony, even in contrast-heavy designs.
🎨 Greens and silvers are your neutral base—everything looks better framed in foliage.
📸 Photograph your garden. Colours sometimes read differently in natural light vs. your memory!

Final Thoughts: Colour as a Conversation

A well-designed garden doesn’t need to be flashy or complicated. It just needs to feel right.
Whether you're planting a full bed of soft blues and silvers, or scattering hot pinks and oranges like summer confetti, trust your instincts.

Start with one colour you love, then build around it—warm, cool, contrast, or all three. There’s no wrong way to garden with intention—only ways that feel more like you.