Many theories exist about use of colour in the landscape and like so many aspects in life, there is no real right or wrong, only what is right for you and your surroundings.

Colour relationships can be shown on a colour wheel. Selection for planting can be based on the hue (colour) or the tone (intensity or saturation of a colour). Using the hue, colours adjoining each other on the wheel are considered to be harmonious, blending in to provide a general feel with no challanges.Those opposite each other are known as contrasting or complimentary colours, creating a dynamic feel to the planting. Used well, a complimentary colour creates a real statement, drawing visitors on a journey through the garden in the same way a piece of art would. By selecting colours in a similar tonal range, you bring balance into your garden.

The overall feel of a garden can be created by using the cool colours such as blue, green and purple for a calming atmosphere, or the hot colours of red, orange and yellow which will imbibe the garden with vibrancy and energy. These moods of the garden do not need to be a permanent state. By selecting one theme that flowers over autumn and winter, such as the cooler colours, and the opposite for spring and summer, your garden can transform dramatically reflecting your use of it.

Different plants which flower simultaneously can be grown together to compliment each other. This type of display can be spectacular, especially if the colours are strong and varied. Examples of this could be planting Silky Oaks (Grevillea robusta) as a backdrop to the lower growing Jacaranda mimosifolia. Another one that would provide a stunning display for one month of the year is an arbour adorned with Wisteria sinensis flanked by the Golden Trumpet Tree (Tabebueia chrysantha). This would be like a visual trumpet-blast heralding a change in the seasons.

Use of colour can make your garden unique with selected flowering for the different times of the year providing a change in mood. Make your mark with a vibrant splash or a subtle stroke, but just make it in your way in the garden.