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Companion plants for Nepeta & Stella D'Oro?

15 years ago

I asked for suggestions for this spot in a driveway bed sometime last week. I got several suggestions but I was wondering if there were any more.

This spot gets direct sun from 8am to about 1pm or so and is against the blacktop. I've had dwarf azaleas there for 12 years and they never burned, they just didn't appeal to me.

I am looking for something that has a nice round shape since most of the front is more formal then the back. There are Stella's all around it and one Nepeta 'Walker's Low in the middle. Can anyone suggest something that will really accent both the purple and yellow?

So far I am considering sedum (smaller variety then 'Autum Joy') and variegated Weigelia 'My Monet', and would definately consider some type of evergreen. The only problem is that it can't get bigge then 24" x 24".

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Comments (14)

torajima
15 years ago
I've got Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' to the right of my Nepeta, and will soon be planting Erysimum (Wallflower), Verbena, and Coreopsis in the front of the bed.

Out of all of these, Erysimum probably looks the most 'formal'.

And if you want a sedum that is shorter than 'Autumn Joy', try 'Vera Jameson'... it's about 1 foot tall.
echinaceamaniac
15 years ago
I'm using Gaillardia Goblin with mine. I like it, but to each their own.
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I know it's late in the season, but since you may have the same question next year, I thought I would throw in my 2 cents about annuals. I love perennials, but I use annuals to fill in the holes as things mature and cycle through their bloom season. I grow Terra Cotta Yarrow and Apricot Profusion zinnas near my Stellas, because the colors are in the same family. Blue salvia is a nice contrast. I also have a large English daisy in the neighborhood. Melanmpodium might also look good around the skirts of the stellas - they stay low. The zinnias keep going all summer. And I keep some herbs and coleus in pots to move around and put in front of things that die back or have bad legs. The coleus are an instant color punch and the variety of colors means I can find something to go with everything. I do tend to like hot colors.
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This is a south-facing exposure that gets shade after 2:00pm and is enough of a winter micro-climate to keep some perennials going all year. I have sun-tolerant heuchera (caramel/amber) in with my yellow daylilies. When nothing is in bloom, the heuchera foliage provides nice color and it's evergreen here in NC. In front of the heuchera, I also have scabiosa (blue) and in front of that, I have threadleaf coreopsis. Right now, my scabiosa is blooming and the heuchera is just gorgeous. I also have some of the short coneflowers mixed in randomly with the daylilies. Off to one side, there is a large patch of dianthus mountain mist, Spanish lavender and purple heuchera and a few more yellow daylilies. On the other side is a weeping cherry. Behind this little patch are abelia that bloom white for a very long time. My landscaper put those shrubs in and I can tell they will be too large, so I'll have to relocate those and give the daylilies a new backdrop, probably tall phlox in lavender.
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I second catmint and salvia, but with the little warning that if you have cats around, they love to roll in the catmint; they tend to like the dayllily foliage too, unfortunately. I also like daisies, and since you are in a similar zone to mine, you might like to edge with some of the wax begonias. Portulaca is another good low mounding plant, and foxgloves are good background for summer. If you haven't already, take a look at some of the archieved entries in Floota's blog and look at Julias old posts. And be sure to look at Celeste's Pictures They are beautiful, but her zone is very different, however you will still get ideas. And Cindy, who also has a blog. Her garden is a dream. You are going to have such a good time, and remember, any garden is a work in progress. kay
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I'm working with quite a few 'August Moons' in a front raised bed and I'm using 'Heuchera' and 'Roseglow Barberry' bushes with them as well as some blue hosta, like 'Hadspen Blue' and 'Blue Angel'! I'm also using fern and several 'Stella D'oro' daylillies here and there! I can't wait for maturity for all components to see how it all comes together! You might try googling 'Lasagna Gardening' to get an idea about building up that area for more plantings! That's what I did in the bed I've just described! It works!
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forensicmom
Original Author
15 years ago
Ooooh, I never thought about Blanket flowers. 'Goblin' stays pretty small too and is such a wonderful plant. Now I've got something else to add to my wish list.
echinaceamaniac
15 years ago
Goblin is easily grown from seeds. Mine are already getting buds to bloom. I got my seeds at Thompson-Morgan. I planted mine too late for them to bloom last year, but if done now you could probably get blooms. They are tough. Our temps got down to 10 and they stayed green. I can't believe how tough they are. We had a foot of snow in March and they laughed it off.
Cindi_KS
15 years ago
How about Profusion zinnias and May Night Salvia. I have a bed of caryopteris, russian sage, salvia and nepeta. I love the late season sea of blue. The profusions, either orange or yellow, have a neat rounded shape, and they bloom nonstop. At the back I have Carefree Sunshine roses and the blue-purple and yellow really set one another off.
gottagarden
15 years ago
For Stella, I like to keep in the same color family. Here it is with yarrow moonshine, asiatic lilies, and shasta daisy.
{{gwi:199281}}From Barn Bed 2008 Oranges and Golds 2
DYH
15 years ago
Here's nepeta with gaillardia:
{{gwi:199283}}From Defining Your Home Garden
echinaceamaniac
15 years ago
Cameron - Thanks for posting that picture! I knew these would look good together! I'm also using Red Hot Pokers and Red and Yellow Hesperaloe parviflora. Lamb's Ear and Lavender would look good with all of these too. If you don't have the Hesperaloe parviflora yet, you should check it out on High Country Gardens. This is where I ordered mine. I divided mine and made it into two. I also saved seeds and germinated them in January. I have 6 plants up. These would look good with all your other plants, Cameron. They are native plants too. Do you have them?

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/catalog/product/58150/
DYH
15 years ago
I will check those out. If you look through my nepeta, you'll see the lavender plant behind it! There are lambs ear in the section, too.
echinaceamaniac
15 years ago
Cameron - I see your lavender now. I can't wait till my Goblins bloom. They are covered with buds right now. Thanks for all your inspiring photos!
blondiesc
15 years ago
Gottagarden - You make the most beautiful flower combinations I have ever seen! What a gorgeous tapestry. You are so talented to be able to envision what a combination is going to look like and then make it happen. I
continue to be in awe.
gail_ish
15 years ago
I have Sidalcea behind my Stella (if I'm remembering it's name right) I just love how it looks:

{{gwi:199284}}

Gail
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
15 years ago
The Salvia May Night will go really well with Stella. Rich purple blue is the perfect foil.
DYH
15 years ago
Oh, I forgot about this... Mother Nature planted purple petunias with one of my Stella d'Oro!

Cameron
{{gwi:199285}}

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