Exploring Colour

The colours you use in your garden should be as considered as the colour you paint our living room walls. Be it paving, pebbles or aggregate, your colour choice can affect how the area is perceived and can even affect your mood.

Red

The colour red signals passion, love, and romance and can kindle feelings of excitement. Using red gravel can make large areas appear smaller and more intimate. However, red also signals power, energy and danger. It can be overwhelming and heighten anxiety, so use red sparingly.

Roll out the red carpet: Red Felsite Aggregate, Red Porphyry Temple Setts, CEDEC Red, Merlot Resin Bound Aggregate

Red Felsite Aggregate - The Therapeutic Garden, Designer: Tony Wagstaff

Orange

Not as overwhelming as Red, orange brings confidence and happiness to mind. Orange tones give off a friendly demeanor and using orange toned stone in your garden will create a warm and inviting space.

Orange is the happiest colour: Golden Quartzite Aggregate, Slabby Sandstone Walling, Golden Flint Gravel, CEDEC Gold

CEDEC Gold Footpath Gravel - The BBC North West Community Garden with the RHS, Designer: Lee Burkhill

Purple

Historically a popular colour choice among kings, queens and emperors, purple stands for luxury. Depending on the shade and tone of the purple, it can be cool and contemplative or rich and dramatic. Blue purples have a calming effect and make an area seem more expansive. Warmer Red-purples will give a more energetic feel to your design.

Born in the purple: Plum Slate Shale, Italian Porphyry Paving, Italian Porphyry Setts, Purple Schist Standing Stone

Italian Porphyry Setts - Designer: Simon Orchard Garden Design

Blue

Using the colour blue in your garden will add a sense of tranquillity. Contrary to the negative connotations associated with the colour, such as depression and melancholy, the presence of the colour blue can lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety. Cool colours create the illusion of greater depth making small spaces feel larger. Be sure to add warmer colours in the garden, so the blue does not appear too cold.

Out of the Blue: Urbalreagh Blue Aggregate, Blue Grey Granite Paving, Blue Slate Shale, Aegean Blue Cobbles & Pebbles

Aegean Blue Cobbles - Eutierria, Designer: Neil Sutcliffe

Green

Green is a dominant colour expressing healing and growth. Easy on the eye, using green paving, pebbles or gravel in your landscape will add a sense of calming and balance. These traits make green the perfect colour for use in meditation gardens.

Green with envy: Green Basalt, Green Schist Paving, CEDEC Green, Flat Green Pebbles

Green Schist Paving - Designer: Spring Landscapes

Yellow

The colour Yellow evokes cheerfulness and warmth. Using yellow gravel will draw the eye, making it perfect for use in feature areas of your landscape.

When life gives you lemon: Yellow Granite Setts, Green Sandstone Paving, Emperor Limerick Porcelain Paving, Yellow Paddlestones

Yellow Granite Paving - Designer: Lisa Cox

White

White, although not technically a colour, can be used to great effect in garden design. It reflects all light so will make your area appear much larger and will brighten dark spaces. White exudes style, but is easily dirtied, so if opting for white paving be prepared for frequent maintenance.

White hot: Moleanos Limestone Paving, White Marble Aggregate, White Marble Cobbles, CEDEC Silver Footpath Gravel, Metropolitan Porcelain Paving

Black

Black. Black is modern, elegant, and luxurious, but must be used carefully in design. Too much black can make an area appear dark and uninviting. Black is best used for high contrast paired with lush green planting and bold splashes of colour.

Back in black: Black Slate Paving, Stacked Carbon Wildstone Walling, Nero Maracana Porcelain Paving, Black Basalt Aggregate

Black Basalt Aggregate - Designer: Declan Buckley

Grey

When used properly in your garden grey can be modern and chic. A neutral colour, grey creates a calming mood, but like black must be used sparingly. Too much grey will be drab and boring so be sure to add bursts of colour, either harmonising or contrasting.

We aim to please: Grey Sandstone Paving, Ebony Cloud Paving, Grey Green Granite Aggregate, Flat Grey Pebbles, Anthracite Porcelain Paving

Grey Green Granite - The Viking Cruises Lagom Garden, Designer: Will Williams

If you have a colour scheme in mind for your garden, our friendly expert teams will be happy to discuss and recommend products to fit your design. However, to get the most from your outdoor space, whatever colour you are thinking of implementing, we recommend employing a garden designer to create the perfect outdoor space for YOU.