This autumn has produced many great displays of reds and yellows but think on about next years softer colours.

The garish and brash have no place in some muted garden designs. Out with fiery reds and sizzling oranges and in with pastels and soft colours.

White and Creams

• Stark white doesn’t always work for me. A pure white Campanula may draw the attention away from the surrounding display.
• White edging such as Alyssum works well and as with other white flowers looks good with dark green leaves.
• Off-white is a favourite and some cream Roses work extremely well in soft colour schemes.
• Avoid creams that verge on being pale yellow.
• White in leaf colour as with some variegated Hostas helps lift a colour scheme.

Pink – Shocking or Candyfloss

• It may seem strange to suggest you avoid pink flowers with too much warmth. I prefer a cooler blue cast to a pink that is used in a soft colour scheme.
• Single flowers that are born in small number may be enough to carry a larger scheme. A little goes a long way.
• A massed flowering scheme need breaking up with plenty of white and grey foliage to avoid a pink blood bath.

Blue and Grey

• Powder blue and very light blue forms of flowers like Polemonium can bring a cool feel to a display.
• Blue flowers tend to recede from the eye and give an impression of distance.
• Grey foliage makes a change from green and will not conflict with pale coloured flowers.
• Seek out true blue flowers as they quickly change to look more purple than blue.

Even lifted by the white eye in the center of this geranium below the colour is not sufficiently pastel for my pastel coloured border.
For a white border see Sissinghurst Castle
For more on a colour wheel read gardeners tips