Wonderful effects can be obtained if the paint colours on a house match or contrast with the colours of flowers and foliage in the garden. The house Don looked at in our segment is a good example of clever and tasteful colour coordination.

The front of the house opens straight on to the street. Here the owners have been adventurous in their choice of colours, but at the rear, in the private and secluded courtyard garden, the colours they chose are subdued and restful.

Fun with colour

The front door is painted purple to blend with the soft grey/green paint on the walls. The purple colour also picks up the purple/blue flowers of the street tree, a jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia), which flowers in late spring and early summer. The window boxes are painted grey/green to match the walls of the house, and planted with purple petunias to harmonise with the purple front door and jacaranda flowers. Around the corner a red flowered bougainvillea (Bougainvillea 'Scarlett O'Hara') is a riot of colour against the grey/green walls. Nearby the flowers of a plumbago (Plumbago auriculata) add a cheerful blue to the mix.

Scented courtyard

Soft colours help to make the Spanish inspired courtyard back garden restful and relaxing. Earthy beige tones on the walls and the floor are combined with a simple green and white colour planting scheme in the garden. The scent of gardenias (Gardenia augusta 'Florida'), 'Iceberg' roses and star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) wafts around visitors as they sit in the comfortable garden chairs and sip their drinks. Overhead an extendable canvas awning keeps off the rain and the hot summer sun. This entertaining area doubles as a carport. If necessary the table and chairs can be cleared away to make room for the car.

Copyright 2006 CTC Productions