When I begin a new landscape design, one of the things I consider is what colors can I use to enhance the home's curb appeal.  The design crime committed here is too monotonous.  In other words, too much of the same color.  The main reason you want to use contrasting colors is so that all your beautiful landscape stands out and enhances your home.  With this home everything just blends together and where the plants stop and the home starts is hard to tell.  On the other hand, you don't want to use colors that clash so I would never use red or even a bright pink on this home.

Good colors would be white, pale pink, yellow or purple.  All of these colors would work well together with the background of the home.  But for now let's start with just the back row of plants and see what a difference using plants that add contrast makes.

Already you can see that by using a Crape Myrtle (tree with white blooms) and the Indian Hawthorn, (plant with the white blooms) you began to highlight architectural features like the windows and the pitch of the roof.  You don't want to hide the home with plants but enhance your home. And that is the secret to a good landscape design.

Once you have your basics or the foundation planting decided on, then you can start to incorporate the next row of plants that could be perennials and/or boulders.  Notice how I have used plants with a similar color as the brick.  This works because of the foundation plants provide the contrast and now you can see plants with a similar color.

So as you begin your design process, remember what colors will contrast and what colors will clash.  Knowing this will help you eliminate plants that will or will not work and that makes the design process, and the color choices much easier.

Design Crime Prevention Tip.... Always use plants with a contrasting color for your foundation plants.  Avoid like shades of plants and avoid plants that will clash.