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Seeing Red

© Kathy Reiffenstein

Since red is inextricably linked to Valentine’s Day, February seemed to me an appropriate month to talk about using red in the garden.

Red is hot, passionate, compelling and seductive. Fire is red. Sunsets are red. Stoplights are red. Because red is so powerful, it can be a tricky color to work into a garden color scheme. And of course there are numerous shades and tones of red, from scarlet to burgundy to brick.

Red is on the "warm" side of the color wheel, which means that it creates a feeling of vibrancy, as opposed to the "cooler", more tranquil colors of blue, purple and green. In the principles of color theory, there are both contrasting and complementary colors. Complementary colors are ones that sit diametrically opposite each other on the color wheel, such as red and green, blue and orange, and purple and yellow. Contrasting colors are ones that do not share a common pigment, such as blue and yellow or orange and purple.

Determining what kind of look you want in your garden is the first step in deciding what role red might play. For a hot, spicy combination, plant a container with vivid scarlet nasturtiums like ‘Empress of India’ paired with sunny yellow lantana. The nasturtiums will trail over the edge of the container and the contrasting red and yellow will create a vibrant display. Create more harmony by adding an orange lantana like ‘Tangerine’. The addition of orange, which sits between red and yellow on the color wheel, softens the powerful contrast of red and yellow.

Another striking combination can be achieved using red from the warm side of the color wheel and purple from the cool side. Match up some low-growing dahlias like ‘Sunny Red’ with the little star-shaped purple flowers of campanula. To keep the dahlias blooming continually, deadhead regularly. They also make excellent cut flowers. The delicate campanula will trail over the side of the pot and can be trimmed to encourage more flowering.

Combining a range of dark and light tones of the same color can create a harmonious effect. Plant scarlet geraniums like ‘Orbit Red’ with ‘Playboy Speckles’ geraniums which have light pink flowers splashed with darker pink. Geraniums in pots bloom best when somewhat pot bound but deadhead regularly to ensure lush flowering. To add another red element, plant this arrangement in a terra cotta container, as the warm brick tones will mingle well with the red and pink of the flowers.

The copyright of the article Seeing Red in Container Gardening is owned by Kathy Reiffenstein. Permission to republish Seeing Red in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.