Color is one of the great joys of gardening. The vibrant hues of flowers the varied greens of foliage the earthy tones of soil and stone—color brings our gardens to life. As gardeners and nature lovers, we’re often drawn to particular colors that evoke certain feelings and memories. My favorite shade of blue, periwinkle, reminds me of childhood trips to the beach collecting shells. That dusky purple pink of hellebores means spring has arrived.
In her new book, Color In and Out of the Garden: Watercolor Practices for Painters, Gardeners, and Nature Lovers, author and gardener Lorene Edwards Forkner encourages us to become more mindful of color in the garden. Through simple watercolor renderings of plants and scenes from her garden, Forkner leads us on a journey through the spectrum of garden colors.
An Invitation to Awareness and Appreciation
Color In and Out of the Garden grew out of Forkner’s personal practice of creating daily watercolors focused on color during a difficult period of grief and loss. The paintings provided respite and refuge, while also developing her senses and powers of observation.
“This collection of careful color studies of botanical (flowers leaves, seeds stems) and botanically adjacent (think time worn stones, beach bleached shells) treasures is offered out to us by the knowing hands of a gardener, the refined eye of an artist, the time-tested taste of a cook, and the heart of a compassionate mother,” writes gardening podcaster Jennifer Jewell.
Jewell eloquently sums up how this “heavenly missive” is about much more than painting and gardening. It’s an invitation to embrace mindfulness, awareness, and appreciation of the living world around us. To see our lives and experiences in full color.
A Journey Through the Colors of the Garden
Color In and Out of the Garden is organized by color, with chapters focused on shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, white, black, and brown. Each chapter explores the symbolism and science behind the color, profiles plants and flowers in that hue, and ends with simple watercolor lessons and tips for capturing that color.
Forkner points out how periwinkle blue—one of the rarest colors in nature—has long symbolized love. Yellow connects us to the energy-giving power of the sun. While black in the garden represents fertility and rebirth.
We learn how anthocyanins create red pigments in plants, carotenoids produce yellows, and chlorophyll makes leaves green. Forkner explains how to mix paints to achieve more luminous or muted versions of each color. And shares wisdom on topics like painting white flowers (start with purple undertones) and capturing the variations in green (add more yellow for vibrancy, blue for tranquility).
Through Forkner’s artwork and reflections, we gain skills and tools to become better observers. To notice subtle tints like the blush pink undersides of nasturtium leaves, and appreciate the beauty of “ordinary” colors like the yellow-brown centers of black-eyed Susans.
An Inspiring Mindful Practice
Color In and Out of the Garden works on many levels. It’s an introduction to watercolor and nature journaling. A botanical guide filled with plant profiles. A meditative exploration of color symbolism and science. Most of all, it’s an invitation to a daily practice of mindfulness.
Creating quick watercolor sketches encourages what Forkner calls “soft eyes”—a quiet, receptive gaze that allows us to truly see. Whether you paint for 5 minutes or an hour, it’s about focusing your attention. Letting inspiration come from small moments of beauty within your garden and surroundings.
This practice of looking inward as much as outward brings restorative benefits. As gardening writer Megan McCrea explains, “Developing a mindful creative practice—especially one that celebrates our connections with nature—can ground and center us during difficult times.”
Let Color In and Out of the Garden be your guide to seeing anew—to appreciating the extraordinary within the everyday. Let it open your eyes to the joy, magic, and inspiration waiting to be found in your own back yard.
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In preparation for May and Mother’s Day here in the US, this week we’re in conversation with Lorene Edwards Forkner, a gardener, a writer, a cook, a mother, a daughter, the garden columnist for the Seattle Times, and known as gardenercook on-line. Lorene joins CP this week to share more about her artistic garden-based daily practice for the last 4 years, which has resulted in the new book: Color in and Out of the Garden, Watercolor Practices for Painters, Gardeners, and Nature Lovers, out now from Abrams Press. The practice and the book are invitations to lean into her own mission statement in life, seen primarily through the lens of the garden: “look closely, with great heart”. A good blessing for all mothering souls in the world.
s courtesy of Lorene Edwards Forkner, all rights reserved.
Color In And Out Of The Garden by Lorene Edwards Forkner | Art Book Review
FAQ
How to use color in the garden?
Warm colors like red and yellow bring energy, while cool colors like blue and green create a sense of calm. Neutral colors like white and gray can be used as transitions or stand-alone schemes. Value and intensity also play a role, with lighter and darker shades creating contrast.