They depend not so much on subtlety as on imagination, initiative, and fearlessness. In any case, colors must be blended, graded, focused, and varied according to light and shade so as to supplement and strengthen the de sign of a garden, and not only for a short period but through the season.

Color Accent

Use color to provide accent. Relieve large masses of one color with a smaller group of plants of complementary color, or by the sparing introduction of creamy white. Color-accent groups along a border produce movement, rhythm, and se quence. They carry the eye along to the climactic point. When these groups are repeated on both sides of the axis, they cre ate balanced rhythm either regular or syncopated, according to how it is spaced. The use of color in such a manner can mean a great deal, producing individuality and charm.

Climax is important for every garden, large or small. The point of climax should be stressed in the design, and near it should be placed the best color combinations to build up its importance and to heighten its effect.

Color Placement

Placement and proportion of color groups are important too. Color, for any given season, should never be concentrated in any one bed or border to the exclusion of others. Spread it over the entire garden so as to create the illusion of abun dance everywhere. Color can also be placed so as to distract attention from those spots which are past bloom, or which have not yet taken their place in the progression. (Pate 15.)

Balance can be strengthened through proper color place ment. When a mass of strong color is used, there should also be several masses of lighter color, or plenty of green foliage nearby to hold down the more brilliant color. When large masses of a light or luminous color are used, a few smaller groups of a darker or stronger color, or shades of the color should be added to bring the whole into harmonious relation ship.

Brilliant colors should never be concentrated in one place, and dull colors in another, except where brilliant color is used in partial shade. Where you attempt to exaggerate distance and scale with the use of strong or brilliant color, use it boldly near at hand. When the strong colors are placed with the weaker, the stronger lose some of their strength and ap pear subdued, while the weaker colors take on added strength.