One of the most worthwhile things about planting flowers is the amazing burst of color they give a garden. You can keep your garden as neat and tidy as you like, but if it is just a lawn and some ornaments it will not look anything like as good as it can. Putting in the effort to plant some flowers can turn something that looks well-kept and respectable into something that causes jaws to drop. Think of your well kept lawn as a stage, and the ornaments as scenery. What you want to do now is introduce a cast of characters and your garden will be the ultimate drama to entertain your audience – you may even be able to set up a box office if you get good enough.
As with bringing together a dramatic cast, the vital element in creating a fantastic garden is variety. You don’t want everybody in your epic to look the same, or have similar lines. It is essential that you have interaction, light and shade (although this is gardening, so a bit more light than shade would be preferable). The colors need to contrast. A little bit of white here, a splash of red there – these are the actors who have done their time in the theater, have seen it all and done it all, and are essential to putting on a first rate show. They will bring everything together and stop it from getting too busy and chaotic.
Then you want your exciting young ingenues – splashes of color that might be a little bit risky but are essential to the energy of the piece. Vibrant yellows are particularly good – they bring a real boost in the vitality of any garden and really brighten it up. If you want to even out the contrast, then a deeper shade like purple can make a real impact. Orchids are good for the latter, while anything from daffodils to roses – even a sunflower or two if you are feeling brave. It all adds up, and the way you the director put it together is the difference between a Broadway hit and a complete stinker.