Interesting! If you are going for contrast, tans with blues are a nice classic combo. Maybe some of the deeper blue salvias and/or delphinium? For a more blended look I'd imagine planting whites would make the unusual coffee notes pop.

Hm that is tough! Whites seem like the best route to go. I like the coloring of " rokoko" a lot. Mine is new from heirloom. My pope john Paul is a good one too. Room for a climber? Cloud ten is amazing.

I don't know for sure but violets pride may also look nice there too, or Bonica.

Blue is good with every rose color in my opinion. If you go with white, see what you think of a creamy white. Those warm tan tones call for a warm white. As Lilyfinch suggested, a violet or lavender would be gorgeous with Koko Loko.

Thanks for the suggestions, and I definitely agree with the white and blue idea. Let me clarify though... I'm looking for non-rose companions. My plan is to do an entire 36 foot long hedge of just koko loko and distant drums, 6 of each. I need something tallish to mix in with them (russian sage or white gaura maybe?) And something to underplant them with.

Your plan sounds beautiful. I never think of gaura, but it is so airy and pretty. I've been trying to find the new shorter variety of Russian Sage. It's gorgeous with roses. I have the tall variety, and planting some peachy roses with it. Close to the same look you're going for.

Sorry I don't know your zone.

I prefer something with bulk by floribs. or HTs. Pennisetum setaceum "Rubrum" and/or Lavender may work. Have not been crazy about my Russian sage beside the roses.

I have these two next to each other along with Pretty Lady Rose. For accents, I use pale pink periwinkles, purple angelonia, purple thrift and have daylilies in between with lavender tones. Also pale pink and purple balsam.

Behind my DD I have the common Ladybells (Adenophora sp.) which spreads its violet/lavender bells around nicely. It prefers partial shade and rich soil, but compromises on the richness of life. At the feet of DD, I have lots and lots of the annual (self-seeded) German Chamomile, aka Matricaria recutita. This looks like a mini-daisy on lovely drapey ferny growth. It blooms from June through August, and if sheared back a bit will bloom until frost. It neatly obliges when/you pick out the dead plants in the fall. I usually leave them be to ensure next year's crop. It has successfully created a 16' long swath of dotted white in front of the daylilies too. No care, other than weeding out any interloping weeds.

Sunny

I have no idea where you are so these are just general ideas. They may not work in your zone at all. I have never grown Koko Loco but have Distant Drums. It is in my changeable/tea bed. Like teas, DD is never one color for long and changes all the way through its bloom cycle. Your best bet is to look for something in the same general color family (soft and airy, for example). For height, what about garden phlox in just about any shade? What about Mother of Pearl balloon flowers? Mine are nearly 3 ft. tall in their 3rd or 4th summer and are the palest shade of pinky-white. What about white echinacea? I have White Swan and Fragrant Angel. The golden center cone keeps them from being too stark white and they go with every rose I have. Along the same line, what about daisies? Or daisy mums? They come in old fashioned white but also in soft cream and the mums come in pastel pinks and yellows as well as the autumn colors. For me, these two are too prolific to be beside roses, but you may not have that experience. What about veronica? It comes in regular old fashioned blue and also in pink or white. It comes in an array of heights depending on the variety you choose. It has been one of my most trouble free perennials here. YMMV Most of these of these should be good through z5 but I doubt that they'd work in the SW.

I love guara and have had it awhile. Mine gets around 6 ft. tall and it has to be staked. Ditto with dahlias here although you may want to try some of the shorter ones if you love cut flowers. They have the added advantage of coming in every color and color combo that you could ever want, except blue.

I would go a different route here in my area. I would plant some sort of feather reed grass, oriental fountain grass or maiden grass in the taller area to pick up on the tan and add movement and height to the hedge, then something like nepeta for the lower area to add the purple/blue and for the bees. I think the different textures would be stunning.

Heres some photos/links from on of my favorite sites for finding companion plants to help give you ideas. The site is really helpful...

https://www.gardenia.net/garden/a-fabulous-garden-retreat-where-to-relax

https://www.gardenia.net/garden/a-dramatic-entryway-joel-loblaw

https://www.gardenia.net/garden/A-Pretty-Late-Season-Border-Idea-with-Asters-Roses-and-Grasses

Something also to think about... my Koko Loco grows shorter, wider, more sprawling than some others. Very pretty and healthy foliage though.

What is Distant Drums growth habit? Taller right?

Since they have such different growth habits, a more informal would look wonderful (in my mind) with the grasses and nepeta (or asters). I think they will look great together! Just maybe not in the formal style of that photo I posted above. Something more like the other ones.

I don't know your zone, but want to give a shout-out to Distant Thunder. I've grown DD at least twice and think Distant Thunder is better. More and healthier foliage and nice repeat. I'm in 8a coastal SE Virginia.

The foliage of penstemon Dark Towers would be striking in your hedge; instead of white like Huskers Red the blooms are a lovely lilac pink. Love, love, love the idea of using grasses; in the summer heat my feather grass is already a tan color.

Take a look at heucherella Sweet Tea; the color is always changing and it is a much tougher plant than the typical heuchera hybrid. Sweet Tea heucherella is a cross of coral bells and foam flower.

Heuchera sweet tea is a great idea Barbara! I grow that and the color of the foliage is really pretty. It stands up to our heat well here if it gets some shade. Ebharvey what zone are you in? Did you know you can add your zone or climate to your name? :-)

I now think I'm going to mix koko loko with poseidon, but may use love song instead since its available as a standard and a pair of 36" lavender standards on either side of the entrance to my yard would look amazing. Ight even us all 3...

Plan is to have the roses in groups of 3 on the corners of the deck and encircling it will be a 3 foot wide bed lined with lavender, with tulips, peonies, and various alliums inside the parallel lavender hedges. Still undergoing changes in my head daily though!

It sounds so pretty

ebharvey1 - I have both KL and Poseidon, and I once had Love Song. I think LS would be a better choice because of its similar growth habit (low, wide) compared with Poseidon, (tall and narrow). My KL is about 2' in its first year; Poseidon is about 5' in its second year. The blooms on Poseidon are all on the top, KL and LS have blooms that are more evenly distributed from top to bottom.

Good luck!

Ann

Thanks for the input on growth habit. I sort of keep forgetting to consider it. I keep reading about love song's lack of vigor and that worries me. I can't afford to buy 8-12 of something, including a few $50 standards to have them struggle and waste away. The kordes roses seem to be a much safer bet in that regard.

I don't own Violet's Pride or Angel Face, but I've heard good things about them. They're both floribundas (same as KL) and would give you the lavender look I think you're going for.

Ann

I have both Distant Drums and Koko Loco. Next to them, I have Medallion, Intrigue and Tidal Zone.

Love Song is great, but very slow on its own roots. I have two grafted LS. One standard and one bush. They are excellent. Lisa

Good to know, thanks.

I'm just wondering how your hedge looks now, @ebharvey1?