The Colour Guide Mini Series #3: Turning a palette into a planting plan - Episode 263 Artwork

grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Welcome to grow, cook, eat, arrange, the weekly podcast from gardener, writer, teacher,and cook, Sarah Raven. Over the last two decades, Sarah has led the way by introducing a new kind of productive gardening which places emphasis on intense colour, sophistication, and achievability. Recorded at the beautiful Perch Hill Farm in Sussex, Sarah talks with special guests from across garden design, floristry, food, ecology, conservation, and more. Brimming with top tips and helpful hints, listen and learn how to create your most productive garden ever. You can find out more about the products discussed in each episode or get in touch by visiting the website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

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grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

The Colour Guide Mini Series #3: Turning a palette into a planting plan - Episode 263

February 26, 2026 • Sarah Raven • Episode 263

0:00 | 25:53

Colour is best when it’s tangible, and if you’re planning a patch in your garden then this episode of the Mini Series is perfect to help you bring your plans to life.

In this episode of the Colour Guide Mini Series, Sarah dives into the practical side of using colour as the backbone of your garden design - from using candles to visualise colour combinations, to the ‘bride, bridesmaid, gate crasher’ structure that’ll help guide you towards an ensemble that works in harmony.

In this episode, discover:

How to choose a garden colour palette based on the feeling you want to create (washed, velvet, comforting or luminous)
A simple “bride, bridesmaid, gate crasher” recipe for combining plants in harmonious yet lively colour schemes
Practical ways to test and refine palettes using coloured candles, mood boards and real flowers in your hand or in a vase
How to plan colour in succession by breaking the year into seasonal chunks and identifying plants that “carry the baton” across months
Real planting examples and border ideas drawn from Sarah’s own garden, including her vase-to-border comforting palette scheme

Products mentioned:

Nepeta x faassenii 'Kit Kat'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nepeta-x-faassenii-kit-kat

Alchemilla mollis

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/alchemilla-mollis

Clematis viticella 'Etoile Violette'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/clematis-viticella-etoile-violette

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sonata Carmine'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/cosmos-bipinnatus-sonata-carmine

Salvia viridis 'Blue Monday'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/salvia-viridis-blue

Dahlia 'Peaches'