Color Inspiration - Pink Climbing Rose

This heavenly scented climbing rose has such delicate shades of green and blush - Nature yet again giving us a lovely complementary palette

Artful Color for Creative Projects

19 Years Ago

Happy Anniversary - to my Knight in Shining Armor!

Color Inspiration - Purple and Gold Flowers

My cutting garden is full of Purple and Gold flowers, in a variety of shades and hues.

Want to create bouquets that glow with color? I live by my motto that all colors can work together! Just remember that if you want to pull together colors that are very different from each other, simply add transitions:

By pairing equally saturated versions of each of the complementary colors - intense purple salvia and buddleia with orange-yellow rudbeckia, I can then pull in the warmer, less intense hues - light yellow rose, beige-orange african daisy, red-purple spiky flower (which I can't remember the name of!). The african daisy works well in the palette not just because it is in the yellow-orange color family, but also because the center acts as a perfect transition from orange to purple.

p.s. Note that Radiant Orchid (#coloroftheyear) is included in this palette - 6th from the left

Have fun playing with color!
If you want to learn more: Artful Color for Creative Projects
All color wheels from: Eye For Color

Color Inspiration - Yellow Door

This bright yellow door caught my eye and is especially lovely paired with spikes of purple salvia.

Just as this scene has lots of colorful interest, depth can be added to any complementary color scheme by adding shadows and highlights of each color, and expanding with a second set of complementary colors to make a Tetrad (such as the grey-blue in the salvia stems and leaves of the curry plant)

Color wheels from Eye For Color

Color Inspiration - Soft Pink Rose

 Another rose from our new garden - the name? "Beverly"

So of course we had to find a spot for it! Bonus, it has the most intense, sweet smell (winning awards for it's scent)

Using a 100mm fixed focus lens, stopped down to f/4, enabled me to blur the background into a symphony of sorbet colors and a yummy pastel color palette

Pastel color wheel in Eye For Color

Color Inspiration - Old Fashioned Rose

Color Inspiration from our new rose garden. Can't you just smell this David Austin old fashioned rose?

I accidentally over-exposed this shot, but ended up liking the result - soft, warm pinks, greens and taupe all on the Warm, Light Earthone color wheel (from Eye For Color)

Color Inspiration - Lavender and Thyme

Lavender and Thyme are spilling over our garden paths releasing their heady fragrance as we brush against them!

A lovely Split Complementary color combo for you to play with

For more color palettes: Artful Color for Creative Projects

Come Into My Garden

 

 

 

Some color in my cutting garden

My husband designed and constructed the garden for me a year ago on Mother's Day. Now a plethora of blooms are surrounded by espaliered apple trees and grape arbors. Steps at the far end lead up to terraces with veggies, raspberries and blueberries.

Nothing Like A Good Book

He found my stash of Agatha Christie...
and a secluded spot in our cutting garden

Strawberries in the Garden

Big crop of Strawberries coming in!
... and so far no slugs or bunnies!

Feeling Good - I'm One Proud Mama!

'Feeling Good':  arrangement by Michael Buble
Performed by:  Kamiakin Middle School Jazz Band
Directed by:  Ward Brannman

Solo: Brandon Gilbert (7th Grade)

To say I'm proud is an understatement!
His growl at about 3 minutes blew me away - who knew he had THAT in him!

p.s. Disney was the theme that day, hence the Pluto hat and Micky ears!

Color Inspiration - Pink African Daisy

The color combo in this photo is so unique - adding a bit of grey-blue to the traditional complement of purple and gold, I just had to create a color swatch - hope you enjoy!

For an entire book of Color Inspiration - pick up a copy of Artful Color for Creative Projects

Purple with a Splash of Chartreuse

 

 

 

Flowers in my Mother's garden