Fabulous Plant Combinations

Far from denying you such pleasure, I suggest buying more plants to go with it! Thinking in terms of plant combinations will enable you to design vignettes where each individual plant will enhance its neighbors.

One way to create effective associations is to find something in common between each component. For example Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’) and Sneezeweed (Helenium ‘Mardi Gras’) have wonderful deep brown centers which echo the foliage of Ninebark (Physocarpus ‘Diablo’ ). Or try the old fashioned perennial Bellflower (Campanula persicifolia) with its’ clear blue flowers adjacent to the black leaved Bugbane (Cimifuga ‘Black negligee’ (syn. Actaea)). You will be surprised at how the bellflowers augment the blue tones within the black foliage.

More subtle monochromatic combinations can be achieved by playing special attention to the texture and form of each plant. Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’) and the Redleaf rose (Rosa glauca) share the same blue-gray tone yet the contrast in texture between the spiky needles and soft rose leaves make a striking partnership. Including Globe Thistle (Echinops) as a third element adds a new globular shape whilst continuing the monochromatic theme. Likewise the large white panicles of Phlox ‘David’ look stunning against the strappy blades of Japanese Silver Grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’) in a soothing green and white scheme.

Other favorite combinations:

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’) with Whirling Butterflies (Gaura lindheimeri); the pink flowers of the coneflower is echoed by the soft pink blush of its partner.
  
• Andromeda (Pieris japonica ‘Forest Flame’) underplanted with Coral bells (Peach Flambé Heuchera); the new Pieris growth perfectly mimics the Heuchera coloring.
  
• Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum.) with Coral bells (Heuchera ‘Silver scrolls’) or Begonia rex ‘Escargot’; all three have burgundy and silver leaves but the contrast between the feathery fern foliage and the bold texture of the other two plants makes a memorable combo.
  
• Blue hostas such as ‘Love Pat’ together with the strongly vertical lines of blue Siberian Iris rising from a carpet of Blue star creeper (Pratia pedunculata); a wonderful play on form that delights me every spring.
  
• ‘Grace’ smoke bush (Cotinus coggyria ‘Grace’) with ‘Flasher’ daylily (Hemerocallis); the screaming burnt orange daylily makes an incredible contrast against the purple foliage of the smoke bush and definitely gets your attention! The dark chocolate stamens of the daylily even play off the smoke bush foliage to add to the drama.
  
• Yellow ‘Graham Thomas’ rose underplanted with the hardy blue Geranium x ‘Magnificum’ with a skirt of Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’); the layers of violet-blue and yellow are eye-catching, especially in a raised border where the grasses can be allowed to tumble downwards. This combination can be further developed by underplanting the grass with purple crocus and growing purple flowered clematis through the rose.

Photos: (From top to bottom) Echinacea and Gaura, Helenium and Physocarpus, Phlox and Miscanthus, and Spruce and rose.

Have fun and experiment!