Monday, January 23, 2012

The Daily DuBrule

I took this closeup of a cool striped bug on my trumpet vine. 

Day 6

I've been thinking a lot lately about color and how it affects us all. When I was in Atlanta, I attended a Trendspotting seminar. It turns out that the Pantone 2012 color of the year is Tangerine Tango. This is a color that is warm yet exciting. As a garden designer, I always ask my clients at the beginning of the process to tell me which colors they do and don't like. A majority of people say "no orange". This has been going on for years. So, how does a designer like me who wants to keep up with the trends deal with this color? First of all, just because someone doesn't like orange, it doesn't mean that they won't respond favorably to it. I tested my theory by putting in an orange garden at Natureworks. Guess what? Everyone is drawn to this garden like a magnet. I don't think it's the orange so much as what we pair it with. Orange and purple. Orange and blue. Orange, in the form of a peachy tangerine with soft, creamy yellow. Orange oriental poppies, yellow Baptisia, blue perennial bachelor's buttons. This photograph makes people gasp aloud. 

Sometimes you need to infuse a bright accent color into a garden to draw the eye to a particular section. Other times, color will carry the viewer along, telling them where to go next. If you think you don't like orange, start looking around your world and see what affect Tangerine Tango type colors have on your mood. We're not just talking gardens here- they are pretty much white and gray today unless you are a master of winter color. Look at the retail displays when you shop for clothing or home accessories. Look at the advertisements on television or in magazines. It's an interesting experiment.

5 comments:

  1. I've been loving the orangey-peachy color scheme... been going a little nuts with agastaches (Apricot Sprite, Acupulco Orange, just ordered a bunch of others, too), roses (Lady Emma Hamilton, Carding Mill), Alstromeria 'Inca Ice', coneflowers, of course (sundown, summer sky, hot summer, summer sun...). I think I'm addicted. Ah, well, it's a healthy one, as addictions go...

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  2. Replies
    1. Mary Anna, So glad you are reading my blog! It is Iris germanica Supercimmon, something I put in the orange garden years ago. We can divide it in August. I also have another great orange one at home to propagate. Nancy

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  3. I grow a reddish orange poppy and it's to die for! Hoping to get more gutsy this year! :)

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    1. Yes, gutsy is the way to go. I have been thinking about what I wrote all day. I went to Crate and Barrel and guess what, Tangerine Tango all the way! The older I get, the more I am willing to risk powerful color combinations. I say, lets all step a bit outside of our comfort zones when it comes to color in 2012 and see how happy it makes us. Stay tuned... and let me know what you think of this Daily thing. I was wondering if anyone was reading this?!?

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