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Inspired by the colors of a Mexican Garden

By Eleanor Athens Photo By Jorge Luis Delgado

Sunsets, tropical fruit, parrots, and lagoons are the colors of a Mexican garden. Chile reds and warm orange, the shaded green of vine-covered trees, give an immediate feeling of place. The hues of Mexican textiles reflect the local world. Bright embroidered birds and flowers glow under a white hot sun.Whether a blanket or a begonia, tropical colors are easy to recognize in their intensity. Strong, clear hues give an equatorial impression. Jewel tones evoke jungle life; ruby birds and emerald foliage, butterflies of sapphire and topaz, amethyst flowers. Ochre walls, white adobe, and azure paint echo the colors of beaches and desert highlands.Whether you want your own piece of the colorful cacophony or a cool shady respite will dictate the garden palette. Hot hues (reds, oranges, and yellows) are stimulating; they create a lively environment full of movement and energy. At the other end of the spectrum, the cool colors (blue, green, violet, and indigo) have a more peaceful effect, suggesting calm and harmony.

Creating a garden color palette is easy if you look to nature. Visit botanical gardens, look at books of tropical plants, wander the yards of friends and the grounds of landscaped resorts. Choose plants that attract you, making note of specific combinations you would like to try. Or, if you have a favorite tropical bloom, base the entire scheme on that.This doesn’t necessarily mean filling the garden with only one type of plant. Showcase your choice by repeating the colors in other flowers.

A simple combination of jacaranda and pink bougainvillea combined with lush tropical foliage mimics a flowering bromeliad. A red bougainvillea with golden lantana and yellow ginger illustrates a sunny hibiscus inflorescence. Looking closely at a bird of paradise, there is a whole spectrum of decorative potential.

A majority of orange (canna, hibiscus, bougainvillea, lantana), set off by purple-blue (plumbago, jacaranda), and then the accents of white, scarlet, and lime (impatiens, orchids, and bromeliads). The confidence of using these colors in combination comes from a careful study of the bloom; seeing how well they work in nature.

A single color repeated in hues and shades throughout the garden makes a modern statement. Geraniums, hibiscus, heliconia, and ginger all come in strong, clear reds. A white garden of plumeria, oleander, jasmine, moonvine, and orchids would be fragrant and perfect for night viewing. Or plant only shades of green; palms, bamboo, mondo grass, and baby’s tears.

In an emerald garden, color can be changed in with potted annuals, furniture, and textiles.A traditional Mexican garden follows the European courtyard tradition, acting as an outdoor living room. Color is provided not only through plants and blossoms, but also via paint and furnishings.

The garden at Casa Azul, now the Museo de Frida Kahlo in Coyoacan Mexico D.F., is an uplifting example. The bright blue walls of the house enclose lush greenery; expanses of sword fern, ivy, calla lilies, liriope (lilyturf), and monstera deliciosa. Against this cool yet vibrant background, spots of bright color stand out...a yellow chair, a child in a red serape.In creating a simple tree-shaded courtyard garden, or a walled bit of chromatic jungle, color plays a vital role. It provides a sense of place and emotional association; an abstract painting might evoke an ocean or a desert, a pacific or excited state. Whichever you choose, they should be hues that make you happy.

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