Coloring your world improves your mood and sense of well-being. While having colorful, flowering plants in your landscaping is one way to bring color into your life, there are many other ways to add pizzazz beyond plants. And why not? You use color for interior decorating; there is no reason why you can’t do the same thing outside. By incorporating features like colorful pottery, sculptures and hardscape elements, your yard can sing in color all year round.
Colorful pottery
Potted plants add charm to your patio, and while filling them with flowering annuals is nice, why not fill pots glazed in a multitude of colors while using a simple green perennial plant? Not only will you have color even in the winter months, but if you pick hardy plants you can enjoy the brightness all year. Make sure you pick high-fired pottery, as they will last much longer. Another option is colored concrete pots. While the colors are not as bright, the concrete will last forever. Concrete pots and planters are very heavy, so choose the location carefully.
Sculptures
Outdoor sculptures have come a long way, so forget pink plastic flamingos. Metal sculptures with enameling will last a lifetime. Pick something fun and don’t overdo. A well-placed accent piece is sufficient, unless you enjoy the whimsical atmosphere created by having a yard full of your favorite theme.
Landscape glass
Landscape glass is relatively new to the landscaping materials world. This glass comes in a variety of colors, shapes, forms, and sizes. Landscape glass can be rough-edged, tumbled, or in specific shapes like pebbles or jelly beans. Use landscape glass to dress up pots, or tuck into hard to plant areas like north facing walls where nothing will grow. Using lighter colors will brighten up dark spaces.
Colored concrete
If you are planning a new patio or walkway and have a yearning to do something really different, concrete color add-ins are available to really perk up your back yard. From natural tones to blue, red or green, concrete colors have come a long way. Additionally, the texture choices are plenty; from flagstone to wavy patterns you can add color and textural interests on the surface for added interest.
Colored tiles
Using colored tiles is another way to bring color into surfaces like walls and floors. Brightly colored tiles can be arranged as murals, or used to accent edges of sidewalks, steps, seatwalls, or walls. There is no limit except how far your imagination can take you.
Colorful painted walls
You can paint your interior walls bright, fun colors, so why not take those colors outside? A good exterior latex paint will cover brick or stucco walls. Bright colors outside can make small spaces seem bigger, and using contrasting colors to plant choices adds a wonderful sense of place.
Plant lovers usually turn to flowering plants for colors, which is fine. But if you want more color all the time, try some of these ideas along with your flowering plants, and see how much fun using color outdoors can be.
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