Yellow is a great unifier but since I have so many yellow roses I use white as a unifier. I just love the way it makes the eye move around the gardens while at the same time it gives pause to it by having a calming affect. And it stands out at night when other colored blooms may not.

Diana

I use a lot of yellow, which is kind of funny as it's not a favorite color of mine but it sure makes things pop in the garden. I've just started adding whites in the way of shasta daisies, they look really nice especially after dusk.
Annette

Yes, I do have some unifying color themes in various areas of my garden. My rose garden, where the roses are mostly pink, rose, red, and white, I use companion plants in shades of purples and blues which seems to visually tie it together. I have a another area which is shrubs and spring bulbs and wildflowers, and I use yellow and variegated cream foliage to tie that area together. In another area, I planted as many burgandy foliaged plants as I could find. My areas are sort of visually separated "rooms" so that each room is tied together and has different plantings, color, and texture than another.

Last year, I planted groups of 3-5 coreopsis 'Creme Brulee' throughout the garden to be a pale yellow unifer. However, I lost plants out of each group so I pulled the survivors together into one large grouping. I'm using nepeta as my unifer now. I can count on it and the color works with all other colors.

I repeat the same plants throughout the garden to "carry" the eye down the garden paths. I use cup flower (nierembergia) a lot as it's very low, blooms all season and comes back for me.

Right now, my Japanese irises (purple, lavender and white) carry the eye down the dry streambed and down the front path. When those finish, my deep pink monarda will carry the eye down that same path.

The butterfly garden is full of mass plantings of bright colors...orange, purple and yellow.

Inside my fence, I don't have enough space to do that kind of repetition so I use edging plants (dianthus, lavender, geraniums).

Along the dry streambed and parking area, I use buddleia underplanted with hypercium. Across the dry streambed, I use hypericum and muhly grass and then repeat the buddleia at the "end" at the driveway.

Cameron

So, Cameron, it sounds like you not only use color to unify, you use the same plant, too. I'm doing that somewhat. For instance, I'm using a lot of veronica. I wish I could say I had design in mind but actually I'm doing it because it's easy to grow.

Mary

I like to plan my garden sections out by color. I've found that, for me, it seems to unify those areas. I'll have one bed done in a particular color or colors- red/orange/yellow. Then another bed done in another color scheme.

I find it's easier to work with for me. Helps me find companion plants and plan things better. Plus, things look more put together for me.

I've noticed several people using white to bring beds together and I think that works well, too.

Tracy

Mary,

I have always found myself drawn to colors in the pink-mauve-blue-lavender tones, especially for my Spring bloomers. A few years ago I added a touch of yellow, and couldn't believe the difference. It was like a sunbeam had fallen to earth and landed in my garden!

After the spring blooming flowers fade, my summer garden has a hefty amount of yellows, hot pinks, and oranges. For an accent color, I add white. White Cosmos looks very pretty among those hot colors.

Marilyn

I vote for yellow too...love it in combo with pink. Just is such a happy looking combo...so every bed has some yellow in it...

I use lots of yellow, I really like yellow, it's a warm color, and it just makes you smile. Throughout my garden, I repeat plants and shapes of plants, I do add unexpected touches as far as where I place them in the garden, I don't always follow the lowest to highest rule.
I have lots of pink,purple,white and a few splashes of red here and there.
My house is a pale yellow with white trim, so you really do notice the garden,which is why I'll never be finished with it.
I love playing in the dirt and watching the changes that occur each day.

Mary -- I repeat a lot of the same perennials throughout the garden, but nepeta is in every area. It divides so easily, I have more of it than any other plant. I'm probably beating a dead plant here, but it also deters rabbits and deer. I've come to the conclusion that I'll take durable perennials over unique and collectable.

Only the tough survive....as we enter a 7 day forecast of 97-99 degree temps, with no rain, here in NC.

Cameron