TRUE BLUE
Growing a Garden of Blue Blooms Roses are red and violets are blue - but are they, really? Roses, of course, can be found in a kaleidoscope of colours. And violets? Well, they might read a purplish blue to the eye, but they don’t actually have blue pigment. Blue, as it turns out, is one of the rarest colors to find naturally in plants and animals. Here, we take a look at the elusive shade and how you can help it find its place in the sun. SCIENCE SPECIFIC Why is one of the most loved colours so hard to find in the plant world? Because true-blue pigment in plants doesn’t actually exist. Optical tricks have led us to see beautiful blooms as blue; and because of this missing pigment, science reveals that less than 10 percent of the 280,000 species of flowering plants produce “blue” flowers. If you’re looking for any sort of colour inspiration from nature (including blue), check out Nature’s Palette: A Colour Reference System from the Natural World. (It is the expanded, 2021 edition of the resource Werner’s
Nomenclature of Colours, first published in 1814.) In it, for example, you’ll find references to “Berlin blue” via sapphire, the Hepatica flower, or the feathers of a jay. COLOUR WHEEL Blue, which colour philosophy relates to calm and tranquility, is the perfect fit for a soothing home garden. When designing and planning, consider pairing blue with its colour wheel opposite: orange. And always consult your local nursery or extension for hardiness zone and regional information before planting something new.
Written by Mardesa Giovannini. Photography by Ukususha/istock/Gretty Images Plus Source: https://article.homebydesign.com/pages/article/HBD_APR_23_03/275454/index.html# 10
Power to Move You
