Paint your landscape: when planning and planting your garden this spring, consider coordinating the colors of the flowers with the exterior of the house

Flower & Garden Magazine, April-May, 1996 by Elaine Martin Petrowski

* Rich, dark, chocolate brown siding is ideally complemented with coral and white flowers or deep reds such as mahogany. Or carry out a peach-and-yellow theme, using pansies for spring, nasturtiums and daylilies for summer.

* Gray paint colors, including light and dark silvers and platinum, allow for a variety of floral options. Neutral grays are offset perfectly with coral and white impatiens, pink geraniums or red zinnias. A mix of blues and purples, such as violets, pansies, petunias, violas and torenia, will provide smashing contrast all growing season long. For those who prefer a yellow-and-white mix, plant pansies in spring followed by rudeckia and coreopsis in summer and fall. Dusty miller, white alyssum and salvia in an eggplant color, along with blue ageratum, magenta geraniums and lobelia would provide a vibrant contrast,

* Tan-gray paint colors can be highlighted with coral and white impatiens or any pink or red flowers. And taupe, says Charbonneau, "is a knockout with corals."

* Brick red houses call for strong garden colors. Annuals like zinnias and marigolds in yellow and orange are striking against a red brick background.

* Blue houses are offset well with petunias in shades of purple, violet, pink and some magenta. Or try any combination of favorite plants in red, white and blue, such as white petunias, blue ageratum and red geraniums.

* The most difficult house color to coordinate with a garden? "Yellow brick," says Charbonneau, who advises sticking to coral and orange for plantings. "Watch the reds, and avoid pink or flowers with blue undertones," he adds.