What do you think of creating a color reference card for flower colors in the plants description ?

When I check the iris descriptions in the database it looks difficult to choose between some colors (for example violet and purple or mauve or lavander, red and wine or magenta, brown or copper).

It would be also interesting to have a field for the main color and an other for shades. For example, this iris (See Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'English Cottage') ) is mainly white with shades of violet but it still appears if you do a search on self violet TB irises.

@Dave , @KentPfeiffer What do you think of this idea ?

@Dave , I think this would be a good idea. I get confused with reds - is it a blue-shaded red or a yellow-shaded red? And photographs very often don't show a color as it really is. Would a color chart on the website be accurate though, or would the colors be displayed differently depending on the user's screen technology?

I haven't replied because I've never heard of a color reference card for the web and I can't think of where to start to provide something like this. If someone wanted to make one and submit it I'd consider adding it!

But as was mentioned above, everyone's monitor is different.

A color circle like this one would be great !

And a less detailed version.

Might get kind of complicated.
Typed in "color reference card for the web" and there are too many styles to choose from. I think they have to be purchased (?) and yes, everyone's monitor does not see/show the same exact colors.

I think a simple color choice would be helpful - especially with all the purple flowers that are termed blue, not to mention "black" flowers. The second wheel Andre posted seems like it would be workable.

I like the second, simpler wheel also. How would it work in the database? Would all the colors and shades be named or numbered, or would the user just click on the appropriate color?

There is 72 shades of colors in the simpler wheel. I think it's still too much. The actual iris database has 20 colors in the "Bloom Color Classification". Maybe we could go up to 36 giving each color a number so the user would just pick the right numbers in the wheel to describe the color of his flower.

@Dave Yes, everyone's monitor is different but the white present in the color wheel would help for calibration of the monitor. If the white of the color wheel is not white on your screen then you have to fix this before picking other colors in the wheel.

Just an FYI, the second wheel doesn't have blue, at least on my monitor or tablet.

The blues are on the right side of the wheel (in the middle).

AndreA33 said:And a less detailed version.

Isn't blue just below the 3 o'clock line ?

or, is the one above that line?

I use this software on my computer. Would it be possible to create something like this?
http://download.cnet.com/Color...

I don't see any true blue. At 2:30 I'm seeing blue/reds, i.e. purples. Red-purples at 2:30. At 3:30 I'm seeing Turquoise or teal shades.
Edit: on my monitor.

My eyes are seeing the same lack of true blue on that simpler wheel.
I guess whatever type of chart/wheel is decided on, each of us (or some of us) may have to make some adjustments to view the colors correctly. Dave will find something that works well for everyone.

Could be your monitor or your eyes. The red/purples are between 12:00 and 1:00 for me, the next two (between 1:00 and 3:00 are almost interchangeable for me, and I agree that the blue one between 3:00 and 4:00 has too much teal in it.

I'm also worried about the complexity of the color choices. Many of my roses are classified as apricot blends. Rose growers know what "apricot blend" means. It's a blend of colors that includes several shades of apricot, peach, cream, tan, light orange, and sometimes light pink. Would I have to enter 9 or 10 numbers to convey the meaning?

I see two wedges of blackish-purple, and one of blue-gray-green.

Maybe the "light purple" is their blue? The wedge between 2:00 and 3:00, third in from the rim.

I would have called it a "bluey-purple".

After being in printing for a long time I can tell you most people have very different ideas of what certain colors are, and monitors differ. Just the brightness you keep your screen set at can change a color.

There is a standard color reference chart used for this with 920 colors. It used by horticulturists and others since 1966.