The Artful Palette:
Penelope Hobhouse and the Power of Color in Your Garden
This gardening book brings joy to it’s owners!
“A garden is a living canvas, and color is the soul that brings it to life.” — Penelope Hobhouse
I have always loved this book and want to share the joy that it brings, so that you, too, can achieve it’s gardening objectives.
There are gardening books that instruct, and then there are books that inspire—works that gently reshape how we see the world just outside our door. Color in Your Garden, by celebrated British garden designer and plantswoman Penelope Hobhouse, belongs firmly in the latter category.
With a trained eye and a sensitive heart, Hobhouse approaches color not as a gimmick or aesthetic afterthought, but as the essential language of the garden. In this seminal book, she helps gardeners—from weekend potterers to seasoned landscape designers—move beyond the basics of soil and spacing and into the nuanced world of color harmonies, textural play, and seasonal light.
Inside the Book: Color as a Living, Breathing Element
At its core, Color in Your Garden is a masterclass in visual perception and design. Hobhouse explains how colors behave differently under various light conditions, how foliage can serve as a grounding counterpoint to bold floral hues, and how the emotional impact of a space can change with thoughtful use of analogous or complementary tones.
She categorizes plantings into primary color families—blues and purples, pinks and reds, yellows and oranges, and the often-overlooked “neutral” greens, silvers, and whites. But she doesn’t stop at theory. The book is rich with photographs from her own gardens and others across the UK and Europe, showing real-world applications of the principles she teaches.
A significant section is devoted to texture and form, showcasing how spiky grasses, delicate ferns, velvety lamb’s ears, and glossy leaves can all contribute to color perception. Her guidance emphasizes a gardener’s ability to orchestrate mood and movement, drawing attention or calming it through careful choice of plant companions.
Why It Matters: From Composition to Emotional Resonance
Penelope Hobhouse’s message is clear: color is not merely decorative—it is structural, emotional, and transformative. She calls upon gardeners to stop thinking only in terms of individual plants and start thinking about the relationships between them.
By observing how sunlight shifts across a garden bed or how a silver-leaved plant brightens a shaded corner, Hobhouse encourages readers to become artists. The garden becomes a palette, but also a stage—a place where color orchestrates narrative and mood.
In this way, Color in Your Garden isn't just a reference book. It is a call to creative expression, deeply rooted in observation and respect for nature’s subtleties.
The Woman Behind the Wisdom: Penelope Hobhouse
Born in 1929 and raised in a family of passionate amateur gardeners, Penelope Hobhouse came to professional garden design later in life, after raising a family and studying history at Cambridge. But once she began, her impact was immediate and enduring.
She has designed gardens for Persian royalty, British estates, and American botanical institutions. Her garden at Tintinhull in Somerset, where she lived and gardened for 15 years, remains one of the best expressions of her design ethos: balance, structure, serenity, and painterly beauty.
Throughout her career, Hobhouse has written over a dozen books, hosted television programs, and lectured internationally. She was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society Victoria Medal of Honour, one of the highest recognitions in the field.
What makes her legacy especially powerful is her deep understanding of plants as emotional agents. Hobhouse never lost sight of the fact that gardens are not just for show—they are for human experience. Her designs are grounded in place, history, and a profound respect for nature.
Design Lessons from a Master
Here are five key lessons from Color in Your Garden and Penelope Hobhouse's broader work:
Foliage is as important as flowers
Leaf color, texture, and form offer structure and longevity throughout the seasons.Light changes everything
A planting scheme that dazzles in the morning may fall flat in the afternoon unless planned carefully.White is powerful
Far from being bland, white flowers and silver foliage bring clarity, calm, and visual pause.Color is mood
Cool blues and purples can soothe, while reds and oranges energize. Use with intent.Restraint breeds elegance
Avoid the temptation to use all the colors at once. Select and repeat for unity.
A Continuing Legacy
Penelope Hobhouse’s Color in Your Garden remains as relevant today as when it was first published. In a world where instant gratification and chaotic garden centers tempt us with random splashes of color, Hobhouse invites us to slow down—to see, to feel, and to thoughtfully compose.
Whether you're planning your first perennial border or reimagining an established landscape, Hobhouse's philosophy will guide you to not just plant with purpose, but to create with meaning.
Until next time...
I am...
Phil Wilson...
And, here's to living an Herbal Lifestyle With You!