Pale Green Shade at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

In the 1960's, ranchers in the United States, Canada, and Scandinavia—the three largest mink-producing areas—were marketing nearly SO different shades, although more than 100 had been leveloped. The basic colors, each of which has nany variations in shade and cast, are standard lark, brown, light brown, silverblu, sapphire, junmetal, pale gray, pale beige, lavender beige, fray taupe, pale brown, and white. In recent years,pale beige types with pink and olive casts also have been developed. The gradations in shade within the color phases are known as stewart and breath-of-spring.

Pastels are perfect in this room. The walls have been painted a pale green shade, while the Bookcase and fire surround are a more minty-green colour. Furniture is either cream or the soft honey colour of natural fibres, but the curtains and cushions add lots of refreshing pastel colours.

The hostas (Hosta spp.) are probably one of the most popular plants of today. Their willingness to thrive in the shade, coupled with the variety of available leaf shapes and colors, plus the benefit of blossoms, has catapulted hostas to the top of every gardener's want list. The blue-leaved types ('Blue Angel' and 'Blue Moon', for example) will do well in medium shade, but will even live in full shade. The greens ('Green Fountain' and 'Green Wedge') adapt from medium shade to full sun, and the variegated types ('Resonance' and Trances Williams') prefer shade. Space plants 12 to 24 inches apart, depending on their ultimate size and, if you don't wish to disturb them for years, just let them be. They will grow happily for decades.