A Year of Colour

Turn your garden into a year-round celebration of colour with award-winning garden designer,  Ann-Marie Powell. Based on her own vibrant garden, A Year of Colour shares over 40 tried-and-tested planting combinations for full colour in every season.    Whether you have a tiny courtyard or acres of land, your garden is the one place devoted to joy. In A Year of Colour, Ann-Marie Powell invites you into her own garden to share her absolute favourite planting combinations – from sultry tulip displays to autumn jewel tones – so that you too can have a bold and bright garden whatever your space or season.  Structured into eight easy-to-follow chapters, this joyful guide invites you to: - Explore over 40 ready-made, tried-and-tested planting combinations that span the seasons. Each includes detailed plant profiles, colour charts and expert tips, making vibrant and achievable colour effortless. - Master Ann-Marie’s essential tasks and step-by-step tutorials at the end of every chapter. Learn how to fill gaps in borders, extend the season with clever tricks, plant bulb lasagnes and create cheerful forced displays for midwinter. - Enjoy Julie Skelton’s stunning photography, capturing colour as a living, shifting performance.  Perfect for gardeners who want more colour and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, A Year of Colour will show you how to create a garden that’s bold, beautiful and brimming with life.    

Ann-MariePowell is a multi-award-winning garden designer, television presenter, journalist and author, who divides her time between designing innovative gardens for private clients, companies and charities, and enthusing people about gardening through her books, television appearances, talks and articles in national newspapers and magazines. In 2024, Ann-Marie was awarded Children's Choice and BBC People's Choice awards for her Octavia Hill inspired garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Ann-Marie is also recognised by House & Garden in their list of Top 50 Garden Designers. She shares her own garden via her Instagram and community @myrealgarden. Julie Skelton specialises in garden photography, and Horticulture Week listed her as one of 'the UK’s most influential garden photographers’ in 2020. She is a member of the wonderful Garden Media Guild and Professional Garden Photographers Association, and has had her pictures published worldwide.

Real Garden Colour Early Spring Late Spring Early Summer Late Summer Early Autumn Late Autumn Early Winter Later Winter Plant Directory General Index About the Author & Photographer Acknowledgements