The most beautiful gardens are generally the most harmonious ones. An easy way to elevate your landscape is to create a color palette for it. Just as you would create one to design your home’s interior, you can create a palette for your home’s exterior living spaces.

Begin by identifying the colors in the architectural elements of your home, such as the shutters, front door, and siding. Use paint swatches or a color wheel to make sure you have a perfect match. Then consider natural elements in the landscape, such as flagstone, boulders, stone walls, and water features. Finally, identify leaf, needle, or flower colors from the specimen trees in your yard.

Now for the fun part! As you look at the different colors you’ve pulled, you can start to think about the palette it creates. Determine what you want to add to round it out if necessary.

Once you’ve created your ideal outdoor palette, take a walk around your yard and identify elements such as planters, furniture upholstery, garden art, and plant foliage and flowers which go well or don’t go well with your palette. Keep your swatches with you as you shop for plants and other garden elements so that you are sure any new purchases will beautifully enhance your outdoor spaces.