Hot Color Families—Red

Passionate Red

Redis one of the oldestcolorsused by human beings : prehistorical horses pull in cherry pigment still gallop across the ancient cave walls in Lascaux , France . To poet from William Shakespeare to Robert Burns , it is the coloring material ofpassion . To old salt , it is an omen : “ Red sky at nighttime , sailor ’s pleasure ; red sky at morning , sailors take warning . ” Throughout its foresightful account , reddish has been associated with extremely charged emotions and a sense of urgency . Today , red still command the attention of motorists and walker at traffic light .

Learn more : Orange Plants for a Warm Palette in the Garden

Some nurseryman are put off by the same self-assertiveness that makes ruby-red effective in controlling traffic . Others embrace the challenge of work with such a vivacious , exciting hue . Pure , primary red post out a clear signal that says : “ Stop ! count at me ! ” This effect works well with container planted in red . They cheer up the incoming to a house or call aid to window boxes placed against neutral siding . But in the garden , utter Marxist can be overpowering , especially if the peak are heavy . The larger the efflorescence , the more dominate the color , which is why it ’s difficult to invest Oriental poppy ( Papaver orientale ) in a mixed border .

Photo / Illustration : Steve Aitken

elemental bolshy is at its best set off by complementary green leaves or in contrast to white or in harmony with dark nuance of blasphemous - reddish blue . It also lends itself to hot color harmony with orange and orange - yellows — think daylilies ( Hemerocallis cvs . ) ; true lily , such as ‘ Fire Billie Jean Moffitt King ’ ( Lilium ‘ Fire King ’ ) ; coneflower ( Rudbeckia cvs . ) ; and torch lilies ( Kniphofia spp . and cvs . ) .

But Red River has many faces and can be a slippery colouring material . Besides true bolshy , there are warm redness and cool red . Warm reds have icteric in them — scarlet is an example . Scarlet is compatible with true redness , its closest relation , and goes well with other hot colour . It should be no surprisal that it compound harmoniously with orange in all its shade and hues — Orange River is , after all , represent of yellow and red . For contrast , hear ardent reds with green and with yellow - green .

The red family

Printer ’s ink can not do justice to the color red , but the chart below suggest the width and depth of its range . At the top of each column are the full - bodied colors ; beneath them are tint ( white impart ) of each . see the reds lay out in sequence , you’re able to take account the resplendent reach of this family and also the problem it presents to gardeners . Without pure red and its pinkish tints as a fender , the cool reds and pinks would collide with the lovesome reds and garden pink .

Photo / Illustration : Melissa Lucas

Photo / Illustration : Janet Jemmott

Photo / Illustration : Michelle Gervais

Cool reds arrest blue . Cool blue - red , or crimson , is a rich , regal , rather dark color . In the garden , crimson is less strong-growing than scarlet and recedes slightly . Because it contains a bit of blue , crimson is compatible with blue and most of the violet folk . Crimson rose ferment harmoniously with blue lupin ( Lupinus spp . and cvs . ) , purplish and blue delphiniums ( Delphinium spp . and cvs . ) , and clematis ( Clematis spp . and cvs . ) in the same color image . For a sensational contrast , pair crimson and cool lily-livered or reddened flowers with chartreuse foliage , a near - complementary association linked by nerveless hue .

deep red and scarlet are magnificent hue . But be forewarn , they are profoundly incompatible . The yellow in vermilion creates a color that list toward orange while crimson leans toward blue . Do n’t forget that gamey and orange are complete inverse on the gloss wheel . And unless you are adept , pair reds with blue in them and reds with yellow in them could clash mightily . Nor are pink exempt from this linguistic rule . The caution about keeping warm and nerveless Bolshevik apart also apply to warm pinks and nerveless pinko .

Pink can not be omitted from our discussion because it is a tint of red . The stiff pinkish tone are the toilsome to use successfully in the garden . Most are saturated and vivid , but being lighter than red , they show up at an even greater length . Keep the strong pinks with other warm colour , such as tints of orangish and warm yellows . Blue - pinks are lovely with orchid , mauve , and tint of juicy - reddish blue .

It is fun but bad to combine bolshie and pinks . The secret is to equal precisely the red ink and the garden pink . Just remember to keep pure red with a pure pink , quick red with a warm pink , and cool Red River with a cool pink . Try experimenting with zonal geranium . Put the red ink and pink in disjoined pots — that way you’re able to move them around if they clash .

Photos by Jennifer Brenner except where noted .

From Plant Combinations , Vol . 2

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Get our latest tips , how - to clause , and instructional telecasting station to your inbox .

sign you up …

Hot Color Families-Orange

Some Like It Hot

How to Grow Pole Beans

Party Outside

Join Fine Gardening for a free engaging hot webinar sport Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned plant life diagnostician as well as professor emerita at Purdue University and the ornamentals technical manager …

When I descry a particular sand dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I knew I was in trouble . With a delicious color blueprint …

When we only prioritize plants we desire over plants our landscape needs , each season is filled with a never - finish tilt of chores : pruning , top , lacrimation , treating , meliorate , and fertilizing , with …

Red geraniums (Pelargonium cv.) stand out against their own green leaves in a classic contrast.Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to turn on on something , but because you might be dive - bombed by a duad …

4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder’s Garden

Episode 181: Plants You Can’t Kill

Episode 180: Plants with Big, Bold Foliage

4 Steps to Remove Invasive Plants in Your Yard

All Access member get more

Sign up for afree trialand get access to ALL our regional content , plus the rest of the member - only cognitive content library .

Start Free Trial

Red geraniums (Pelargonium cv.) stand out against their own green leaves in a classic contrast.Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

Get complete land site access to expert advice , regional contentedness , and more , plus the print powder magazine .

startle your gratis run

Already a member?enter

The cool, bright pink blossoms of Dahlia and Gomphrena cultivars are matched in hue but different in shape, standing out against complementary green foliage.

COOL RED:Cool red, or crimson, contains blue. It is a good partner for deep blue and violets and is stunning with yellow-green, its opposite on the color wheel.Photo/Illustration: Melissa Lucas

MEDIUM COOL RED:This tint is light and bright enough to enliven cool, heavy color schemes involving dark blues and violets.

TRUE RED: True red is a pure, primary hue that cries out for attention. Its obvious color partner is true green.Photo/Illustration: Janet Jemmott

MEDIUM TRUE RED: This vivid pink tint is almost as eye-catching as red. It could serve as a bright spot among softer pinks or as a foil for white.

WARM RED: Add a touch of yellow and this hue becomes scarlet, the most attention-grabbing member of the high-profile red family.Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais

MEDIUM WARM RED: This tint, which is a pale version of coral, would harmonize with warm yellow and orange hues of similar intensity and would contrast with blues and violets.