Your favorite perennial/shrub combinations

14 years ago

I also have this posted in the shrubs forum.

Some shrubs that I've looked at and I'd like to try are:

-abelliophyllum distichum (white forsythia)

-caryopteris (favorite cultivar??)

-kerria japonica "pleniflora"

-sambucus nigra "Gerda" or "Eva" (AKA "Black Beauty")

-rose "Julia Child" or "Ebb Tide"

-tamarisk "Summer Glow" (or some other tamarisk)

-beautyberry (not sure which species...any suggestions??)

-butterfly bush (favorite cultivar??)

-witch hazel (hamamelis intermedia)

-calycanthus floridus (or occidentalis)

-purple smoke bush (cultivars??)

any tips on combining these shrubs with perennials would be most appreciated

Hello

I've researched a lot of different perennials and shrubs and I know quite a bit about how to take care of them...but I am TERRIBLE when it comes to combining them! I need some help finding some good perennial/shrub combos for an area that gets partial shade in the afternoon (some afternoon sun and some afternoon shade) but is otherwise a full sun area. Last year the area was cleared of weeds and amended with compost. Other than that though, we pretty much have a clean slate to work with, so I'm open to suggestions. The soil is predominantly clay (but my parents claim that the land used to be used for farming...a likely story) but in spring it will be amended clay because of all the organic matter that was added. I have no idea what the pH of the soil is but I'm guessing that it's either neutral or slightly alkaline (I wanted to plant rhododendrons but I don't think that will work).

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Comments (8)

tugbrethil
14 years ago
Here's a few I've seen in Flagstaff, AZ (USDA 5):
Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii, many cultivars), and Torch Lily (Kniphofia species or hybrids)
Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium), and 'Silver Dragon' Lily Turf (Liriope spicata)
Firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea, 'Lalandei') and Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Hope these help,
Kevin : )
mxk3 z5b_MI
14 years ago
I have "Dark Knight" Caryopteris and love it!

In the vicinity of one of the ones I have, I have "Brilliant" Sedum, "Sentimental Blue" dwarf balloon flower, coral bells (can't think of the cultivar right now - it's one of the silvery-green ones), and a shorter cultivar of Zebra grass a few feet away. (the coral bells aren't in the line of hot, direct sun, so they do fine with these sun-lovers). I also have a few plumbago weaving through there as groundcover.

I recently added another "Dark Knight" on the other side of the house, and I'm still trying to figure things out over there. Right now I have a "White Swan" coneflower and "May Night" salvia in the vicinity, but can't say I'm lovin' it...I have to work on that small bed this upcoming season. (I did add a purple-leaved sage late in the fall, though, thinking that may be nice with the Caryopteris).

Just purchased two butterfly bushes very late in the fall, looking foward to seeing how they perform this season. They are both from the "Lo and Behold" dwarf series.

I don't have any of the others you listed, sorry I can't help any further.
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From a designer's perspective, the best plant combinations involve a careful balance of contrasting and complimentary features. The 'contrast' part typically involves the use of plant shapes and foliage textures while the 'complimentary' aspect generally relates to colors as well as sharing similar growing conditions. In the combination above, the bold, heavy texture of the hydrangea foliage is offset by the lacier, more delicate Actaea foliage. You also have the spreading mass of the hydrangea in contrast to the more upright, clumping form of the Actaea. The grass (Carex) adds still another form and textural contrast, while the smaller, rounder and spreading form of the heuchera or epimedium provides yet another textural effect. The hosta in tj's example does the same. Much of the complimentary effect comes into play with the colors involved.......the deep maroon of the Actaea foliage compliments the deep green of the hydrangea and will accent the hydrangea as begins to turn into its fall colors. The heuchera picks up both of these colors, as does the painted fern or the epimedium as it puts out its new spring growth. And of course, all these plants enjoy similar growing conditions as well. Because flowers are such a transitory aspect of a garden design, I tend to place less emphasis on combining specific flower types than I do on the foliage, but the above plants do offer a very nice combined flowering effect as well - the shape of the hydrangea blossoms is somewhat repeated in the spikes of the Actaea, plus the coloring of the coloring of the hydrangea flowers as they age will pick up the pinkish tones of the Actaea as well. And the heuchera or epimedium will offer an early and very delicate flower effect, repeated later by the hostas. IMO, the best combinations involve at least three different plants and often, more. Less than that and you do not achieve enough contrast and compliment to make the combination really effective.
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In_the_garden, this little bed is in full shade. It gets a tiny bit of dappled morning sun in early spring, and it is somewhat bright shade, (the sun hits that sidewalk that's visible for an hour or so) but otherwise the sun never touches that spot. The soil is also not so great, but I've been working on that. This combination was pretty much pure accident. I don't feel the photo shows how really good the digitalis looks with this hosta, but I really love the Regal Splendor. The edging on its leaves match the digitalis blooms almost perfectly. :) Dee
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DYH
14 years ago
I have so many favorites!

I use osmanthus fragrans and osmanthus goshiki, buddleia, oakleaf holly, vitex, cleyera, spirea, clumping bamboo and ornamental grasses with perennials. I use the larger varieties of salvia greggii like shrubs, even though that would be a perennial.

There are so many combinations that I like, but I'm including a link to some of my favorites (in my gardening blog) with complete descriptions and photos.

Cameron {{gwi:194964}}From Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel

Here is a link that might be useful: a few favorite combinations
franeli
14 years ago
Philadelphus'Snowbelle' mockorange isn't on your list, but I just love this shrub. Wonderful aroma and the flowers are pure white and double.
Here it is with a mixture of plants: sedums,thymes,spirea,rhododendron.

{{gwi:194965}}
Thyme2dig NH Zone 5
14 years ago
Franeli, what is the white-flowered plant in the lower left? I picked up the same mockorange last year and also fell in love with it. I really like that combo you have.
Donna
14 years ago
I have alot of beautyberries on my property. The birds eat the berries and sow them all over the place. They are not the most beautiful shrubs anytime except when they make berries, but they are free. Salvia leucantha usually blooms at the same time the berries make their show and that is a beautiful combination.

I have a butterfly bush I got on clearance years ago at Lowe's. I have no idea what the cultivar is, but its blooms are a very rich red violet color. I have it in combination with tropicana canna and an orange daylily with a deep purple eye. I think it's one of my better combinations and honestly, it was not planned. It just happened because I had plants and there was spare ground. :)
linrose
14 years ago
Going through your list, I really love caryopteris, I grow it with rudbeckia and coreopsis verticillata and ornamental grasses. I treat it as a sub-shrub sort of like lavender. It stays in the background until it blooms in late summer/early fall. Then it takes center stage. I have 'Longwood Blue'. It hasn't gotten tall for me (it's listed at 4 feet) because I prune about a third to a half off each spring.

Kerria japonica is a love/hate shrub for me. I planted it because I had an impossibly shady dry site that needed something. I eventually moved it out to a place under trees by the driveway in rock and gravel. It explodes with color in the spring which is why I keep it. I guess I should give it more respect given its ability to flower in almost full shade. It lives comfortably at the end of a Viburnum border. Any blue flowering spring bulb like grape hyacinth, crocus or Phlox diveracata would complement it.

I have both roses you mentioned, Julia Child and Ebb Tide. Rose combinations are almost a separate topic but any of the perennial geraniums in blue tones for Julia work well ('Rozanne' comes to mind) along with lower growing Veronicas like 'Goodness Grows' and Salvias like 'Caradonna' and catmints like 'Blue Wonder'. For Ebb Tide Coreopsis 'Moonbeam' or any dwarf coreopsis would work well. Perhaps a daylily like Stella d'Oro or Happy Returns. Mine were planted in a new bed last season and so far I only have some dwarf coreopsis and salvias but hope to add more perennials this spring.

Buddleia is another love/hate shrub for me, I have 'Black Knight' which gets huge so it is sits in a corner of two fence lines. Actually the rugosa rose 'Hansa' is next to it so they fight it out. The purple and magenta combination is kind of cool though. Cameron's photo is stunning, there are so many new dwarf varieties that would be worth trying.

Calycanthus florida is one of my favorite shade shrubs. I have 'Athens' by the front door with Autumn fern, Lady fern, asian ginger, Loropetalum, Sarcococca, Cornus alba, Phlox divaricata, and various hostas.

If you need more information or inspiration I suggest checking your library for the following books which have been helpful to me:

"The Well-Designed Mixed Garden" by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
"Rose Companions" by Stephen Scanniello
"Perennial Combinations" by C. Colston Burrell
DYH
14 years ago
That photo contains:

Buddleia 'Adonis Blue'
Salvia greggii 'Dark Dancer'
Rose campion
Larkspur Lilac Spire
Spirea 'Neon Flash'
Japanese iris (purple, don't know the name)

There are leaves, but not blooms of monarda 'Raspberry Wine' and 'Blue Stockings' at the time the photo was taken.

Your favorite perennial/shrub combinations

Comments (8)

tugbrethil

mxk3 z5b_MI

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