All of the aesthetic elements play a role in the garden. Color is one of the most obvious things we notice when we first enter a landscape.

Color can play many roles in our landscapes. It begins the moment we step out the door onto the deck, patio, or porch. Furniture is a great way to introduce color into outdoor living areas. It is very easy to paint or stencil wooden or metal tables, chairs, and other garden furniture.

Choose your dominant color, and use it strategically to achieve the desired effect throughout the garden. Instead of a plain white trellis or lattice, imagine vivid painted shades instead. Even a utilitarian work area, such as a potting bench or shelves for potted plants, can be stained or painted.

Transform an ordinary garden shed into a focal point. Choose contrasting colors for the window frames and doors. Add some matching shutters.

In a recent poll taken at selected garden centers in certain areas of the country, gardeners were asked to name their favorite flower color. Much to my surprise, purple was the first choice. This happens to be my favorite color, but I didn’t expect it to be the most popular among participants in the poll. There is always a lot of hype about the efforts to achieve a true blue rose, so this makes me wonder why the same effort isn’t going towards purple flowers.

By their very nature color trends are apt to change from time to time. The colors that are seen in fashion and home décor also can play a part in our gardens. Each year there are several color research groups that predict what will be the hot new colors for the coming season.

For 2010 the Pantone Color Institute has named turquoise as the color of the year. This is a very rich jewel tone that we can easily use in the garden. Start by painting some of your pots with outdoor paint. Turquoise is an easy color to use because it combines so well with so many other shades.

In addition to turquoise, other popular colors for 2010 are expected to be eucalyptus and Aurora yellow as well as a lovely Fusion coral. Pantone has included a lovely classic red in its color lineup for 2010. It is called Tomato Puree.