A Yard Full of Color: Ideas on How to Effectively Use Colorful Plants and Flowers in Your Yard

Do you believe that a person can have a green thumb? I do because my sister most definitely has one; her yard is amazing and full of color. Every plant she touches grows magically perfect! I take pictures when I visit, so that I can get ideas for my own yard. Sadly, my thumb is not green, but a yellowish color. Hopefully it will get greener with time.

As you can see, this space has a variety of well-placed plants. There is a mixture of leafy plants and flowering plants with the taller ones in the back. She incorporates certain colors repeatedly throughout her beds and keeps them well mulched. The popular Knock Out Rose, easy-to-care for and disease resistant, provides heighth and fullness with loads of beautiful blooms. A bird bath with a fountain pump is nestled in this front section near the porch. This is a great way to drown out the sound of cars going by if you live on a busy street.

Edging provides a clean line between the beds and the yard. The curved form definitely takes the landscaped space to another level. I recommend either a fiberglass or aluminum edging because of its durability. However, there are less expensive edging materials available. Small but mighty, the rich blue pansies standout amongst the largest plants surrounding it.

I will leave you with these final thoughts. When asked what tips she could give to fill my yard full of color and most importantly get my thumb greener, my sister replied:

• Buy perennials (plants that will come back year after year) that require little maintenance.
• Mulch heavily to keep weeds away and remove them promptly when they do appear.
• If a plant is not doing well in your planting bed, remove it or try another spot.
• Follow directions regarding planting placement for individual plants - those that require several hours of sunlight, partial shade, or full shade, should be planted in spaces that meet those needs.

It sounds so simple!