Composing Garden Color: Red, White, and Blue Plant Palettes

Red: The Garden's Percussion

Red clamors for attention like crashing cymbals — the color of blood, heat, love. Even a touch energizes; a full bed delivers a knockout punch.

• Stimulates appetite — ideal near outdoor dining.
• Encourages activity — smart around decks, patios, play spaces.
• Warms surroundings — can overheat sunny spots, make shade feel less cool.
• Visually shrinks spaces — drawback in tight areas, boon in expansive landscapes.
• Enhance with clay pots, sandstone, brick, reddish hardscaping.

Reliable Red Flowers

Front of Border (under 12"):

• Astilbe 'Red Fanal': 16–24", Zones 4–8
• Blanket flower (Gillardia pulchella) Plume series: 12", Zones 3–8
• Fuchsia 'Golden Marnka': 6–12", Zones 8–10
• Impatiens valleriana Super Elfin: 10", all Zones (annual)
• Penstemon 'Chester Scarlet': 24", Zones 6–9
• Petunia Carpet Series: 8–10", all Zones (annual)
• Scarlet sage (Salvia spendens): 16", all Zones (annual)
• Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) Tahiti: 8", Zones 5–9

Mid-Border (12–36"):

• Bee Balm (Monarda) 'Red Scarlet,' 'Adam': 36", Zones 4–9
• Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis): 36", Zones 3–9
• Daylily (Hemerocallis) 'Red Joy,' 'Red Rum': 16–34", Zones 3–10
• Peony (Paeonia) 'America': 3–3.5 ft, Zones 3–8
• Yarrow (Achillea) 'Fanal': 30", Zones 4–8

Back of Border (36"+):

• Clematis 'Rouge Cardinal': 6–10 ft, Zones 4–9
• Crocosmia 'Lucifer': 3–4 ft, Zones 6–9
• Flame nasturtium (Tropaeolum speciosum): 10 ft, Zones 8–10
• Flowering quince (Chaenomeles x superba): 4–5 ft, Zones 5–9
• Hibiscus moscheutos 'Lord Baltimore': 4 ft, Zones 5–10
• Scarlet firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea): 12 ft, Zones 6–9

White: The Garden's String Section

White gives crisp, pure tones — immaculate, wholesome, fostering peace. A blank slate inviting clear thought.

• White flowers increase perceived yard size (like white walls enlarge rooms).
• Last color to fade at dusk — perfect for twilight pathway borders.
• Lights up dull corners and shady nooks.

Winning White Plants by Height

Front (under 12"): Campanula carpatica 'Bressingham White' (6", Z4–7), Candytuft (12", Z5–9), Colchicum speciosum 'Album' (7", Z4–9), Daffodil 'Panache' (16", all Zones), Feverfew 'Golden Moss' (4", Z4–9), Snowdrop (4", Z3–9), Snow-in-summer (2–3", Z3–7), Sweet alyssum 'Carpet of Snow' (4", annual), Windflower 'Wilk's Giant' (3–6", Z4–8).

Mid (12–36"): Baby's-breath 'Snowflake' (36", Z4–9), Iris 'Wisley White' (36", Z4–9), Mallow 'Mont Blanc' (20", annual), Morning widow (32", Z4–8), Peony 'Festive Maxima' (36–39", Z3–8), Phlox 'Fujiyama' (30", Z4–8), Shasta daisy 'Alaska' (36", Z5–8), Sneezewort 'Boule de Neige' (18–24", Z3–8).

Tall/Climbing (36"+): Chinese wisteria 'Alba' (28 ft, Z5–8), Hydrangea paniculata 'Floribunda' (10–22 ft, Z4–8), Jasmine (40 ft, Z9–10), Lilac 'Mme. Florent Stepman' (22 ft, Z4–8), Madonna lily (3–6 ft, Z6–9), Moonflower (15 ft, annual), Prunus Glandulosa 'Alba Pleana' (5 ft, Z5–8), Rhododendron 'Polar Bear' (15 ft, Z7–9), Star magnolia (10 ft, Z5–9), White mugwort (5 ft, Z5–8).

Blue: The Garden's Woodwinds

Soothing, tranquil — closest to woodwinds. Cool, calming ways suit healing, relaxation, reflection. Sky-color evokes infinite upward dimensions.

Blue Design Effects

• Brings cool refreshment to hottest spots, even full-sun summer afternoons.
• Recedes visually, making spaces seem larger — plant along narrow garden sides.
• Calms and soothes — place where people sit quietly. Avoid decks/dining areas needing lively interaction.

Top Blue Flowers by Height

Low (under 12"): Alpine columbine (18", Z4–7), Alpine forget-me-not (8", Z4–8), Aster amellus 'King George' (18", Z5–8), Glory-of-the-snow (6", Z3–9), Lungwort 'Mawson's Blue' (14", Z5–8), Milkwort (2", Z7–9), Speedwell 'Trehane' (6", Z5–8), Siberian squill (4–8", Z5–8), Star gentian (1.5", Z4–7).

Mid (12–36"): African blue lily (30", Z7–10), Bluebottle 'Blue Boy' (30", annual), Blue cardinal flower (24–48", Z5–9), Borage (24", annual), Caryopteris 'Heavenly Blue' (3 ft, Z6–9), Catmint (36", Z3–8), Gentian sage 'Cambridge Blue' (18–24", Z8–10), Love-in-a-mist (20", annual), Peach-leaved bellflower (36", Z3–8), Siberian bugloss (18", Z3–7).

Tall (36"+): Bog sage (6 ft, Z8–10), California lilac 'Autumnal Blue' (10 ft, Z9–10), Clematis 'Perele d'Azur' (10 ft, Z4–9), Highbush blueberry (5 ft, Z3–7), Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blue Bonnet' (6 ft, Z6–9), Monkshood 'Arendsii' (4 ft, Z3–7), Morning-glory 'Heavenly Blue' (10–12 ft, annual).

Plus: Plains false indigo (5 ft, Z3–8).