How to harness color therapy in your yard – Chelsea Flower Show designer says to grow these 3 plants for a wellbeing boost

Wellbeing has been an increasingly prominent theme at the Chelsea Flower Show in recent years as more research emerges around the huge positive impact of gardening, plants, and nature more widely on our overall wellness. This year, designer Hamzah-Adam Desai showcases how to harness color therapy in the yard in his MS Amlin Peace of Mind Garden.

When it comes to garden design to improve mental health, there's a lot to be said for incorporating colors that evoke calming, restorative, and happy feelings. In this Silver Medal-winning Container Garden, Hamzah Adam Desai has created a color wheel of planting, starting with green foliage, through to purple and pink blooms, and finally yellow and orange plants. 'The idea is you can sit in a specific area of the garden to look at the colors for the mood you wish to feel,' he tells me.

They key lesson to be taken from this garden is that some of the best plants for mental health are linked to specific colors psychologists say are known to have certain effects on the mind. Speaking with Hamzah at the MS Amlin Peace of Mind Garden on Monday, I found out more about the workings of color therapy and how you can use color in the garden for wellbeing.

What does color therapy look like in the garden?

Whether you're looking for mood-boosting ideas for gardeners in winter or want to create a safe, calming environment in a memory garden, it's worth considering how color therapy can be used in the yard.

'In the Western psychology of color, certain colors have certain meanings and they can be beneficial to wellbeing and mental health. I wanted to do something that would incorporate all those colors in a garden context, but without mixing up the colors, to showcase their different impacts' Hamzah explains.

Garden colors to make you feel calm

If you have lots of purple plants or perhaps a pink summer border in your yard and instantly feel tranquil when stepping into your garden, it's likely explained by your mind's perception of these hues.

'Color therapy works by tapping into how our brains respond to different colors. Different colors evoke different emotions. For example, blues calm us, green gives us a sense of renewal, and yellow lifts our mood. Using these colors in a natural, garden setting can be helpful from an emotional standpoint,' says Krista Walker, mental health professional from The Ohana Luxury Addiction Treatment Center in Hawaii.

'Purple is supposed to be a quiet, restful colour, as well as encouraging creativity,' Hamzah describes while pointing out plants like Salvia nemorosa 'Cardonna' and Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' in his garden.

In his show Container Garden, Hamzah has positioned the purple hues quite centrally. 'I’ve done it in a way that so you can sit in a particular area of the garden to see certain colors.

'For example, you can position yourself to see the purple plants with orange in the distance, or choose another spot to only see the purple if you wish,' he explains.

Not only has color therapy been used in this garden, but also color theory. 'Purple and orange are complementary colors after all,' Hamzah adds.

In the yellow and orange section of the garden, I spot Erysimum 'Apricot Twist,' Heuchera 'Marmalade,' and even ornamental grasses like Carex oshimensis 'Evergold.'

'It's not just about the flowers, I have looked at leaf color as well. I've used purple leaves, green leaves, grasses for texture,' Hamzah explains. 'I have chosen shrubs with interesting colors, too. Nandina domestica 'Obsessed,' for example, will have coppery-red color in spring and then in winter it will have beautiful red tips,' he adds.

The backdrop of Hamzah's design is very green, as evergreens like star jasmine can be seen climbing. In the green section itself, there are ferns like Crytomium fotunei and Polystichum aculeatum.

'Green is a color of nature, but also a restorative color,' Hamzah notes. 'I’ve added pops of plants with silver foliage so on a gray day those silvers can really be joyous,' he adds.

With a relocation of the garden planned for Haven House Children's Hospice in Essex, UK, Hamzah has created a space full of color to promote positive mental wellbeing for patients.

Hamzah-Adam Desai

Hamzah is a garden designer and founder of Tone & Manner. He spent 21 years working as a graphic designer before retraining as a garden designer in 2021.

Krista Walker

Krista Walker is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with nearly 20 years of experience in the mental health field.

You don't need a large garden for colorful planting

Something else Hamzah is keen to emphasize is you don't need the biggest garden space to reap the rewards of having color in the yard. Whether you just have a container garden, balcony garden, or even an indoor garden, there are lots of opportunities to incorporate color in the garden for wellbeing.

'The idea of 'soft fascination' is about gently viewing nature and colors of nature for just 40 seconds. It allows our brains to rest and recover, and small spaces allow you to do that with ease,' Hamzah says.

It could be as simple as having a planter box or hanging basket in view from your home office; something to gaze over to relieve stresses of the day.

'Sometimes we look at plants and colours and we don’t know what they’re doing to us, but they are having a huge impact,' Hamzah adds.

It's isn't all about plants, though, as Krista Walker notes: 'Colorful planters, a bold mosaic bench, or painted fences can also help set the right mood.'

Add color to your yard with these beautiful planters

3 colorful plants to promote positive wellbeing

Just like harnessing fragrance in the yard for wellbeing, there are some plants that make for better choices than others when it comes to incorporating color in the garden for wellbeing. Here, Hamzah shares his top three plants from the MS Amlin Peace of Mind Garden:

1. Lamium 'White Nancy'

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 3 to zone 9
• Best for: Shady planting

'My absolute number one is Lamium 'White Nancy',' Hamzah says. 'On a gray day it can really cheer me up because its silver foliage is so beautiful, almost shining like Christmas decorations,' he explains.

This fast-growing ground cover plant is a great choice for woodland garden ideas. 'It grows well in shade among ferns,' Hamzah notes.

For an option with the same silver foliage but rather purple flowers, try planting Lamium 'Purple Dragon' (from Nature Hills).

2. Erigeron karvinskianus

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 4 to zone 9
• Best for: Filler plants

'The Erigeron has to make the list because it's such a nostalgia garden plant with daisy-like flowers and colors. It reminds me of my childhood,' Hamzah says.

This is an underrated plant that is perfect as a filler in borders and containers alike. It's also a fantastic plant for pollinators, ideal for a wildlife garden.

You can grow this plant using these Erigeron karvinskianus seeds from Amazon.

3. Erysimum 'Apricot Twist'

''Apricot twist' has really beautiful flowers that last for a long period of time. These could still be flowering into November, ideal for pop of color in winter,' Hamzah says.

You can grow wallflowers to provide colorful interest from spring to fall, as Hamzah points out, and this variety is bright orange in hue to bring joy to the yard for many months. They're ideal as spring flowers for pots and borders, plus they're perennial so will return each year.

Use these orange wallflower seeds from Amazon to get a similar look in your yard.

FAQs

Which houseplants can you use for color therapy?

There are many houseplants you can use for color therapy. For example, the best red houseplants, like anthuriums and moon cacti, are thought to be energizing. Meanwhile, the best blue houseplants, like echeveria succulents and blue star fern, are known to have a calming effect. Of course, the green leafy foliage of the best tropical indoor plants, like monstera and pothos, can leave you feeling rejuvenated also.

The MS Amlin Peace of Mind Garden showcases just how impactful color choices in the yard can be. Next time you're thinking about updating your garden color schemes, consider which hues will turn your outdoor space into a sanctuary that leaves you feeling brighter.