My favorite plant combinations (at the moment)

In spring it's hard not to fall in love with your garden, no matter how frustrated you might have been with it during the the winter or summer months.  This year, after all the unexpected rain we received, my garden seems more bountiful than ever and I appreciate everything it's giving to me.  Some vignettes have stood out as especially appealing and, as temperatures are expected to climb this weekend, at least temporarily, I thought I'd share them before they fall prey to rising temperatures.

I got the blue, white and yellow color mix I'd dreamed of in this area surrounding the fountain in the back garden.  The Freesias are mostly gone now but the Dutch Iris, 'Sapphire Beauty' and 'Mystic Beauty', are still going strong.  They're complemented here by Argyranthemum 'White Butterfly' and more blue flowers in the form of low-growing Felicia aethopica and the taller spires of Echium webbii.  Yellow touches are provided by Phlomis fruticosa and Argyranthemum 'Grandaisy Yellow'.  The wire cages protect Echinops and Eryngium from hungry rabbits.

I'd considered pulling out the Dutch Iris 'Eye of the Tiger' last year but I found I like how it plays off the brown stems and leaves of Aristea inaequalis, as well as its bright blue flowers.  It also complements the 3 Mangave 'Pineapple Express' planted in front of it.

This is a more extreme color mix than I usually prefer but it's become one of my favorites nonetheless.  It combines Arctotis 'Pink Sugar', Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', and Lotus berthelotii 'Amazon Sunset'.  There are even a handful of succulent flowers in the background that currently echo the pinkish-orange colors of the Arctotis.

I'd love this yellow-flowered Leucospermum all by itself but I appreciate the way its color is echoed by Arctotis 'Large Marge' in the background too.  I've always identified the Leucospermum as 'Goldie' because that's how it was labeled when I bought it but, after recently spending time looking at plants in this genus online, I now believe it's actually 'High Gold'.

Of course I also like the way the Leucospermum looks against a background of succulents when viewed from its other side

I'm happy with this unplanned mash-up of Melianthus major, backed by Arbutus 'Marina', and highlighted in front by Leucadendron 'Jester', Lobelia laxiflora, and Leucospermum 'Royal Hawaiian Brandi'.  Although the flowers of the Melianthus are largely hidden within the strawberry tree's canopy and the Lobelia is almost always out-of-control, it makes a pretty mix, especially as the Leucospermum's blooms develop further.

This combination is more congested than I'd like at present as Leucadendron 'Cloudbank Ginny' is too big for this spot and probably needs to move.  Still, I like the combination of Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', Leucospermum 'Spider Hybrid', Narcissus 'Geranium', and Yucca gloriosa 'Variegata'.

Limonium perezii (sea lavender) mixes pleasantly with the foliage of Arthropodium cirratum, Graptopetalum 'Fred Ives', and self-seeded Lobularia maritima (sweet alyssum) and Osteospermum.  Within the next month, the Arthropodium (aka Renga Lily) will add elegant sprays of white flowers accented with small touches of lavender and yellow.

I love the mix of rockroses in this area: Cistus x skanbergi, C. 'Sunset', and C. 'Grayswood Pink'.  The hot pink flowers of Cistus 'Sunset' are only just getting started and that color will be echoed soon by Callistemon 'Hot Pink'.  Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple', visible when the bed is viewed from the opposite direction, also adds a complementary punch of color.

This view of my north side garden, photographed from the stairway leading down my back slope, drew my attention mainly because I'm finally getting a nice display of flowers from Callistemon viridflorus, which plays off the Osteospermum 'Double Moonglow' in front of it and the bright foliage of the persimmon tree in the background.  The Callistemon was kindly sourced and mailed to me by Tamara of Chickadee Gardens in October 2018 when I was unable to find it locally.

I'd be negligent if I didn't include at least one photo focusing on the mix of succulents in my south-side garden.  This photo highlights Agave 'Blue glow', A. 'Blue Flame', Aeonium 'Zwartkopf', A. 'Sunburst', and Crassula pubescens ssp radicans among other plants.

I'm happy with many of my containers too, particularly the barrels.

This barrel in my cutting garden contains Viola 'Penny Peach', noID Ranunculus, and Antirrhinum majus 'Chantilly Peach'.  The snapdragons are taking their time about blooming this year.

Also in the cutting garden, this barrel contains Digitalis 'Dalmatian Peach', noID Calibrachoa, and more Viola 'Penny Peach'

In my front garden, this barrel holds yellow and orange Calendula, noID Calibrachoa, another Digitalis 'Dalmatian Peach', and Argyranthemum 'White Chocolate'

This barrel contains Bacopa 'Double Indigo' (not readily visible in this shot), Nemesia 'Sunglow', and Scabiosa columbaria 'Deep Blue'.  There's also a Nepeta 'Blue Prelude', which isn't flowering yet but may be eaten to the ground by the neighborhood cats before it does.

This barrel, in heavier shade, contains Pericallis 'Violet Bi-color', Calibrachoa 'Cabaret Blue Sky', Viola 'Penny Peach', and Lobularia maritima (alyssum) in a variety of colors

This pot is barer than the others but, as I love everything blue, I'm still fond of it.  It contains Delphinium elatum 'Cobalt Dreams' and Nolana paradoxa.  The recently planted Nolana is supposed to spread quickly but, if it doesn't, I'll add a second groundcover.

My back slope and my cutting garden have been slow to get moving this spring, presumably because our temperatures have remained on the cool side.  I've been expecting both areas to burst into bloom any time now, especially as our temperatures are in the process of jumping.  I'll share closer looks at those areas once they take off.  In the meantime, best wishes for a pleasant weekend.

All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party