Thinking plant combinations in a California foothill garden

Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon' with Orchid Rockrose

Have you ever noticed a striking color combination when planting flowers together by chance?  You suddenly see that the hot pink rockrose bloom looks stunning with lime and burgundy euphorbia.  Or you see that an orange Monkey flower contrasts wonderfully with an iridescent lavender-blue Cleveland sage ‘Pozo’.  I recently became aware of this particular combo and determined to plant an orangey yellow Monkey flower by every sage I had.

Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon'  with Spanish lavender

Euphorbia dulcis ‘Chameleon’ with Spanish lavender

These unexpected pairs can also be planned.  In the past, I’ve acted as a sort of ‘plant collector,’ planting one or two of things I impulsively see at nurseries. These get dotted around where ever I think best in the garden. At best it can look like a cottage garden, at worst, a real mess.  Now, especially now working in a huge space, I want to purposefully plan to repeat the plant combinations I’ve seen to design a fabulously colorful look in your garden.

Bird’s Nest Spruce with Germander Teucrium, T. chamaedrys

Bird’s Nest Spruce with Germander Teucrium, T. chamaedrys

Color is not the only consideration in plant pairs.  Greens with two different textures can also work well together.  The front planting bed with a spiky Bird’s Nest Spruce looks fabulous with a fine textured, small leafed ground cover, Germander Teucrium, both in a similar color of deep green.  Now I think broad leafed plants with grasses, big leaves with small and color wise, grey-green foliage with yellow or forest green. Since blooms only last through the spring and summer, these different greens and textures can carry the garden nicely through the ‘off’ season.

Sulfur flower, Eriogonum umbellatum with Spirea japonica 'Gold mound', Snow in Summer

Sulfur flower, Eriogonum umbellatum with Spirea japonica ‘Gold mound’, Snow in Summer

Orange California poppy with soft Baby blue eyes

Orange California poppy with soft Baby blue eyes

Chrome yellow coreopsis with glowing rose colored Jupiter's beard

Chrome yellow coreopsis with glowing rose colored Jupiter’s beard

A natural combination, creamy white Bush Beardtongue, Keckiella breviflora, with lemon yellow Elegant Madia

A natural combination, creamy white Bush Beardtongue, Keckiella breviflora, with lemon yellow Elegant Madia

I take my inspiration from plant pairs I’ve seen by chance in my own garden, in magazine pictures or in nature.  Haven’t you noticed that many wildflowers occur naturally in opposite colors? Orange and blue, yellow and purple?

Blue Cleveland sage with yellow-gold Black-eyed Susans

Blue Cleveland sage with yellow-gold Black-eyed Susans

These are some pairs that I’d like to repeat around the garden, planning more swaths (a new favorite word when talking about the garden) of planned color and texture combinations. Take a look and see what you think, then I’d like to know what plant combos you’ve found, too.

Lime green Marjoram with Spiky Bearded iris

Lime green Marjoram with Spiky Bearded iris

True Blue flax, with purple Wallflower 'Bowles Mauve'plus burgundy Red-Tipped Photinia

True Blue flax, with purple Wallflower ‘Bowles Mauve’  plus burgundy Red-Tipped Photinia

Feathery White yarrow with clear blue Penstemon 'Margarita BOP'

Feathery White yarrow with clear blue Penstemon ‘Margarita BOP’

Irridescent blue-purple Foothill penstemon with soft yellow Pretty Face, Triteleia ixioides

Iridescent blue-purple Foothill penstemon with soft yellow Pretty Face, Triteleia ixioides

Plant Combinations shown in this post:

  • Lime green Marjoram with Spiky Bearded iris
  • Chrome yellow coreopsis with glowing rose colored Jupiter’s beard
  • Blue Cleveland sage with yellow-gold Black-eyed Susans
  • True Blue flax, with purple Wallflower ‘Bowles Mauve’plus burgindy Red-Tipped Photinia
  • Orange California poppy with soft Baby blue eyes
  • Orange California poppy with Penstemon ‘Margarita BOP’
  • Iridescent blue-purple Foothill penstemon with soft yellow Pretty Face, Triteleia ixioides
  • Sulfur flower, Eriogonum umbellatum with Spirea japonica ‘Gold mound’
  • Feathery White yarrow with clear blue Penstemon ‘Margarita BOP’
  • Creamy white Bush Beardtongue, Keckiella breviflora, with lemon yellow Elegant Madia
  • Euphorbia dulcis ‘Chameleon’  with Orchid Rockrose
  • Euphorbia dulcis ‘Chameleon’  with Spanish lavender
Blue Cleveland sage with yellow-gold Black-eyed Susans

Blue Cleveland sage with yellow-gold Black-eyed Susans

Orange California poppy with Penstemon 'Margarita BOP'

Orange California poppy with Penstemon ‘Margarita BOP’

5 comments

  1. The Field of Gold -

    I’ve had a number of gardens. You are correct that bringing something home from the nursery on a whim just doesn’t work. And I have done that often enough. The garden I have now has a “strategy” and it’s working. The contrasts I have now are between groups of big tree colour. example. Twenty Golden Elm in a bunch next to twenty Liquidamber.

    • Sue Langley -

      Kerry, your garden has been a great influence on me. I see your mass plantings of Lavenders, Red maple and Liquidambers, which I like very much and strive to do more mass plantings which make a bigger statement in a large space. There’s a reason why the Rockettes are so effective. You know of the Rockettes? I bet your lavender was beautiful this last Spring.

      Katie, that combination sounds fabulous. I like Dara’s Choice very much and last late summer planted two more to go with a Pacific Mist Manzanita. hey don’t klike to be transplanted found out. I found that it was very full and bloomed a lot! When I moved it it dies but I got the two more.

  2. Katie -

    I’ve been admiring the combination of golden-yellow Berberis ‘Golden Abundance’ (or Ribes aureum in a similar shade) and lavender-blue Salvia ‘Dara’s Choice’ lately. They’re beautiful together, although the weather this year is so strange that I’m not sure they’ll always be blooming at the same time.

  3. Kate -

    I always loved the California combination of orange poppies and blue lupine. The poppies look just as pretty with the penstemon in your photo. Cleveland sage and rudbeckia is something I’ll definitely try. You’re right about nature choosing color combinations that are dazzling. Have you ever hiked Hite Cove trail in the Spring?

    • Sue Langley -

      Orange poppies and blue lupine would be spectacular! I haven’t been to Hite Cove, Katie, but to Lewis Creek and that gets the shade plants like Douglas Iris and Bleeding heart. Last time I went in May I saw lady bug swarms. Search Lewis Creek here and you’ll see it. You ought to write about Hite’s Cove,…I’ve heard it’s awesome!

Comments are closed.