Why Color Matters When Planting A Garden (& 2 Colors To Avoid)

When designing your garden, you'll find plenty of information on the importance of light, soil type, and other factors that determine which plants will thrive where. As important as these factors are, don't forget to think about color as you plant your garden. It may seem like a minor detail, but your color choices will determine which type of beneficial insects and wildlife visit your garden and how much joy you get from spending time in it.

Gardening is hard work, so taking the time to design an aesthetic you enjoy will make all that tedious weed pulling, pruning, and mulching more rewarding. "So if you want to sit outside on your porch or patio after a long day and gaze lovingly upon your garden, but you can't stand the color yellow, then it wouldn't be a good idea to plant an abundance of sunflowers and rudbeckia," explained Sam Arthurs, Gardens Manager at Local Matters and House Digest's flower specialist. 

"Your goals, your preferences, and your environment will all come together to determine what you plant," Arthurs told House Digest exclusively. Certain colors may better suit specific aesthetic preferences and gardening goals. So, it's important to understand why color matters, how to factor it into your garden plan, and what hues you might want to avoid, depending on your goals.

One of the biggest reasons color matters is because birds, insects, and other critters rely on it to navigate. According to Arthurs, "... if your goal is to attract a variety of pollinators and birds to your yard, then you will want to choose a variety of colors that attract them." There are plenty of flowers that attract pollinators, so it's easy to find a mix that also fits your aesthetic. "Bees like blue and violet while hummingbirds are big fans of red, pink, and purple," said Arthurs in her exclusive interview with House Digest. Meanwhile, orange, yellow, and blue are colors that will draw more birds to your garden. Since preferences vary by species, variety is key.

"Not choosing a color scheme may make your garden seem unsatisfying or random," Arthurs also warned. She recommends choosing a palette of colors and including species that bloom at different times to ensure you have color throughout the growing season. By keeping bloom times in mind, you can incorporate the variety wildlife needs without worrying about clashing colors.

For example, start with a wave of early bloomers in soft pastel hues. Let them give way to a summer blend of reds and yellows before finishing with a fall display of blues and purples. It's not a big deal if an overlap in bloom time causes different palettes to clash. "Because the green and earthy backdrop of your garden soften their clash ... it somehow isn't as big of a mistake as you might think initially," Arthurs says. 

"Aesthetic value comes down to beauty being in the eye of the beholder, so don't let anyone bully you into only planting certain colors or avoiding others," Arthurs told House Digest exclusively. That said, two colors to be careful with are white and pink. White might discourage birds from visiting your garden, as it's a signal of danger to some. A big field of white is also hard for birds to blend into if they're trying to hide from predators because it contrasts so starkly with their own colors. While a few splashes of white in the garden are not a major deterrent, avoid planting large swaths of the color in one spot if you are trying to attract birds.

Pink doesn't discourage birds or other wildlife from visiting, but it's one of the most common bloom colors. If you're not careful, it's easy to overwhelm your garden with pink. After picking out all the flowers you want, count how many pink blooms are in the mix. If there are many, swap a few out with ones that have different bloom colors.

Arthurs also noted the importance of leaf color when planting. In some cases, it can influence the sun tolerance of the plant. "For example, hostas can suffer from leaf scorch if they are in intense sun for long periods of time," according to Arthurs. If your design requires planting shade-loving species like hostas in a less shaded area, she says that "... light green, chartreuse, or golden host leaves do a little better in the sun than their deep green and blue counterparts."