I've been studying my garden from a new angle lately. My wide shots posts consider the major segments of the garden as a whole. My Bloom Day and Foliage Follow-up posts generally look at plants in close-up as stand-alone entities. So what's been missing is an intermediate view of plant assemblages. Some of my combinations are pleasing but many are too busy, especially at this time of year when every other plant seems to be blooming, preparing to bloom, or just finishing blooming. When I take a step back, I find that the combinations I like best usually feature one or more strong foliage accents.
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| This combination includes Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Cotyledon orbiculata 'Silver Storm' and Pelargonium x hortorum 'Mrs. Pollock'. Without the mediating influence of the Cotyledon, the variegated foliage of the Abelia and the Pelargonium would fight with one another. |
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| This combination includes Aeonium arboreum, Aeonium 'Kiwi', Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire' and Senecio vitalis. Although the Aeoniums and Senecio do bloom, this combination is based on foliage color alone. |
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| This combination consists of Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt', Aeonium arboreum and Phormium 'Ed Carmen'. Pops of yellow flower color will be added when the groundcover Cotula lineariloba 'Big Yellow Moon' begins to bloom in earnest, picking up the yellow color in the Phormium. In the meantime, interest is provided by the contrast of textures and shapes. |
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| The contrast of shape and texture is the principal source of interest in this combination too. It consists of Agave attenuata, Euphorbia 'Dean's Hybrid', which is just beginning to produce its chartreuse flowers, and trailing Lantana montevidensis. |
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| Phormium 'Maori Queen' echoes the floral color of Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' in the foreground. The variegated foliage of Correa 'Wyn's Wonder' (to the right and left of the Phormium) picks up the creamy yellow in the Phormium's foliage and the dainty pink flowers and chartreuse foliage of Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold' complement both. The Correa also produces pink blooms in spring. |
Most of my combinations are a crap shoot. I'm waiting and watching to see if this one comes together.
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| This combination consists of Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira', Argyranthemum frutescens 'Madeira White' and Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'. The Echium has already produced buds but it's anybody's guess as to whether the blue flower spikes will appear while the Ceanothus behind it (not shown) is still in bloom. |
Some combinations are tied together by small elements.
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| The small white and pink flowers of Erigeron karvinskianus neatly mimic the larger flowers of Gazania 'White Flame', which in turn echoes the colors of Coprosma repens 'Inferno' and Phormium 'Maori Queen' |
I'm currently working on a new combination in the backyard. It has a ways to go before it fills in but I already like how the foliage and flower colors reinforce one another.
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| This combination includes Grevillia 'Ned Kelly', Leucadendron 'Jester', Lobelia laxiflora and Melianthus major. The Lobelia was just added and I think it does a great job of picking up the sunset pink color of the Grevillea and the Leucadendon without making it overwhelming. |
My successful plant combinations are most often a matter of pure serendipity but a new book on my bed-side table may help me up my game:
The Perennial Matchmaker by Nancy Ondra. Nan has written several books and regularly publishes posts on her blog,
Hayefield. Although my climate and Nan's couldn't be more different, I always learn something from viewing the wonderful plant combinations she features in her posts from her Pennsylvania garden. Her new book provides a plant-by-plant discussion of ways to complement 80 perennial favorites and a step-by-step guide to good matchmaking. You may notice some familiar photos among the 400 included in her book to illustrate her points - as the credits at the back of the book show, many garden bloggers have contributed photos. I even have one (on page 118)! I received an advance copy but the book is scheduled for release next week.
All material © 2012-2016 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
