companion planting with delphiniums

17 years ago

This is the most helpful forum! I've already found some great tips and new finds. My perennial beds will be overflowing soon. :-)

I'm planning a new perennial bed - full sun, zone 5. And since Thompson & Morgan has seeds half off this week it seems like a good time to purchase my seeds for this new bed.

I'm planning a large stand of delphiniums which of course bloom in June. I'm going to inter plant with some spring bulbs so I'll have something going on there in the spring but what should I plant for color after the delphiniums are done? I do plan on cutting them back for a smaller return bloom but I want some perennial blooms in July/ August/ September. I don't have to go as tall as the delphiniums will be (5 feet) but it would be nice to get close.

Any recommendations? I have experence with starting from seed and plan on doing this for the entire new bed.

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Comments (8)

duane456
17 years ago
how about coneflowers, dahlias, or ornamental grass maybe?
Duane
virginia_w
17 years ago
In addition to Duane's suggestions, how about some garden phlox (I like David (white) and Nikki (deep purple). Lilies are nice, but they might be blooming when your delphiniums are blooming. Black-eyed susans will bloom when the coneflowers bloom in late July, August.
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Well! I checked out the Plant World website (took about half a day! What a range!), then I checked out the Aussie import/customs laws, and I *think* I can have flower seeds by cultivar sent to Australia without paying an inspection fee. I will have to contact our customs people to confirm, as the website is irritatingly vague. If so.. I'm in heaven! Thank you so much Camps! I can finally have a humble geranium! Hahaha. I am deliriously happy about this. Some (non-garden-y types) may say disproportionately so. I bite my thumb at those people! I have not been to the southwest of England since I was 4, visiting grandparents in Devon. That was Christmas time, and I remember a lot of snow and wearing mittens. Mostly I was concerned that Father Christmas wouldn't know where to bring my presents. So I couldn't really comment on the climatic similarities, but I will take your word for it. I don't know what my soil pH is, but I know it's acidic because the hydrangeas are all blue. I will do a soil test one day soon, my blueberries are outgrowing their pots and I suspect I will have to fiddle with pH when I get around to planting them in a hedge-y type configuration. I'm having a crack at this winter sowing caper this year, so yes, it's about time I got my act together. This post was edited by muscovyduckling on Fri, May 30, 14 at 9:10
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Great ideas which I will save! I'm redoing all the perennial beds so want to try new ideas. In front of my set of tall delphinium I have lilies in clumps, ladies mantle, and shastas but I haven't finished redoing that bed yet. Might just leave it that way for this year as things are getting too big to move soon. I'm thinking of seeding some baby's breath around those plants as well. The other set of 3 shorter delphinium are in a bed I just finished and I put some chives in front of them but it needs more. I might just use some low annuals at the edge of the bed. I have another trip to the city next week so may find more plants I can't live without!
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Ohhh, there are so many choices! Are you looking for things that will bloom other than in springtime? All of those listed above bloom pretty early. I have the yellow (and red and lavender Epimedium) and it's new leaves emerge bronzy like the photo above, so I don't think it has to be E. rubrum I have hellebores, solomon's seal, false solomon's seal, fairy bells, dicentras ( the little ones, pink and white), lots of early bulbs, primulas, dwarf hostas- I have a tiny 2" high one that gets deep purple flowers, Paris, spotted hardy orchid- (Dactylorhiza maculata), double bloodroot (I love the flowers, and they last a lot longer than the singles), corydalises- Corydalis Flexuosa Purple Leaf, Corydalis ochroleuca (white flowers-neat habit, and will bloom for months!), and one that I forget the name, but the leaves look like a fern and it gets yellow flowers (not lutea), arum italicum, Hakonechloa (I have several varieties), oh and Himilayan blue poppy, ummm can't think of any more off the top of my head... Heucheras, Lime Ricky really stands out in the shade, as does Stoplight. Oh, and shooting stars, camassia, anemone nemerosa (the double white again lasts the longest)...depending on the amount of light- Astrantias, ajugas, one of my favorites is A. Metallica crispa- it's tiny and well-behaved.
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Thanks, Diane, I'm going to at least try a couple of these, since I don't like all the chemical sprays and various insecticide/fungicide/pesticide/othercide. I remember Grandma always planted marigolds around the perimeter of the garden, she said it would keep rabbits out. I don't remember if it worked, because Mother sprinkled the cabbage leaves with red pepper to keep the rabbits from eating them. I guess I should have tried both and I wouldn't have had to buy cabbage from the local Amish farms to make sauerkraut, since rabbits ate all my cabbage, including the dozen head of red cabbage I planted for Peppi. (sigh) I always plant a row of flowers in the garden to attract and keep my pollinators. Last year it was cosmos, sunflowers, zinnia and asters. I should probably pay closer attention to what I plant, I just plant something that blooms, LOL, but pollinators might like others better. Like sleevendog, I have years where I get a lot of beans but no potatoes. Some years I get buckets of cucumbers but no turnips. I celebrate the things that did well and figure maybe I'll get the others next year. It doesn't stop me from at least trying to keep the pests out of the garden, though. I have found that the only thing that really repels deer is about 9,000 volts running through a couple of strands of electric fence. The first year I smeared a little peanut butter on the wire, when they sniffed they got one heckuva poke. After that, they stayed away. Instead they went and ate my 3 newly planted pear tree seedlings. (sigh) I hate 'em. I'm learning to feel the same way about the geese that ate the blueberries as fast as they ripened. Annie
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lam702
17 years ago
How about oriental lilies? They should bloom just as the delphs are done. Plus, they have a fantastic fragrance. I have my delphs planted with lilies, among other things. The orientals haven't shown buds yet, and the asiatics are just starting. By the way, my delphs are in full bloom right now, and they are gorgeous! As blue as the sky, they are a true blue, not lavender. I plan to plant more next year.
proudgrma
17 years ago
This may not be the answer you're looking for, but my favorite companion plants in my gardens are moonbeam coreopsis and butterfly delphinium. They come into bloom about the same time, but coreopsis will continue into the fall with deadheading. The combo of the dark, deep blue delph with the soft yellow coreopsis is stunning.
fearlessem
17 years ago
I second pourdgrma's suggestion of moonbeam coreopsis, since I love the yellows and blues together. Also on that yellow note, how about some yellow yarrow with it, and how about something like lady's mantle I think the shapes of lady's mantle and the lime green blooms would look great following the delphiniums...

Emily
faltered
17 years ago
My scabiosa blooms all season long and the bees and butterflies love it. Planting asiatic and oriental lilies will give you a lot of color plus staggered bloom times. You could even try some of the new orienput lilies or daylilies. Dianthus will give you some late spring/early summer color, too.

For more season-long color you might wan to try mixing in some annuals.

Tracy
eclecticmk
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks so much! These are all great suggestions. I'm planning on putting in some moonbeam coreopsis in front of the delphiniums. While looking through some books last night, I saw a photo of the bright yellow coreopsis and blue delphiniums and it was stunning.

I'll plan on putting in more cornflowers (one of my favorites) and stocks (one of my new favorits). I'll look into oriental lilies. I've never planted any so it will be something new to try.

Margie
laperouse
17 years ago
Margie,

If you will e-mail me, I can mail you a photo of a stunning combination with Thalictrum f. ssp. glaucum.

Marianne

companion planting with delphiniums

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duane456

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companion planting with delphiniums

Comments (8)

duane456

virginia_w

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