Pretty Perennial Combinations for your Late Spring garden?

Hi, Everybody---

Now that high spring is here (in Zone 6, anyway) we thought we would start a new Perennial Plant Combination thread ---a continuation of http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/553164/

I am especially interested in how to combine perennials with bulbs for an interesting mixed border and also creating 'color echoes'-- a concept the garden writer, Pamela Harper, popularized in her book (and we here on DG discussed in detail last summer and had a lot of fun with the topic)...

But we can't get enough of 'pleasant perennial plant combinations' so here we go for Spring 2006.

Let's see some plant combination pics, please!??

I'll start with my tulips 'Princes Irene' echoing the Japanese Maple in my little front flower garden.

Beautiful! Such a nice spring combination. Thanks for the part 2 of the thread. I'll try to get out, between the raindrops, and take a few.

It's still early spring here in NE Iowa! Just a comment from the last thread: I love the blue "winky" with the "brash" phlox! Of course, I am a fan of the brilliant color combinations favored by Christopher Lloyd - the kind of heart stopping combinations that make you swoon...I love Princes Irene with Purple Prince too. Also love the iris in the background of your pic...
sharon

Sharon--the minute you get some bloom give us a pic. I saw the 'Princes Irene' and the 'Purple Prince' as a recommended duet in a bulb catalog. Must see pics of your garden--sounds like a fitting homage to Christopher Lloyd (RIP he passed on last fall.)

I always think of Iowa as the same zone as Ohio, but I guess not. And I always think of NY as very cold, and I've since found out that Long Island, for example, is quite temperate. Learn a lot on DG...even 4th grade geography!

I like the aquilegia winkies too, (don't laugh, Pirl!) but they are short and detailed and really should be in a rock garden or a special place to appreciate them. (-:

I went out to pull weeds and noticed I have several different aquilegias from a $1- end-of-season- sale coming back for me. So excited. First time I've tried them and they were pitiful looking plants last fall.

t, beautiful pics! Love Blue winky with the azalea and double daffs, I'm really enjoying those cool colors in my favorite part of the cottage garden. And Princess Irene was a great choice with the Japanese maple.

This is my first year for Blue winky to, and they are just about to open. I have them with bleeding hearts, blue ipheion, and Spanish bluebells. Columbines are quickly becoming one of my favorites. Besides the many varying bloom qualities, the leaves are beautiful and they have such a unique grace.

I will have to put the winkies on my list of must haves! I have a lot of other columbines and I love them. This is what's blooming today...

Daff's (White lion, I think), bleeding heart, with hostas coming up.

Stacy, I was knocked off line when I saw your pic on another thread, but I was about to rave! Beautiful combination, and such a lovely photo.

Thanks - but I have to admit it was completely by accident. the hosta was planted by the previous owner, the bleeding heart was moved here to make room in another bed (it was going to be temporary, but I guess I'll leave it there now), and when I ordered dafs last fall I dumped 5 kinds in a box and jumbled them up to get a good mix. The left overs got planted here. Aint mother nature great!!

My word, Stacy! You're two zones colder than I am and your garden seems to be WAAAYYY ahead of mine! How lush and full it looks!

Gorgeous photo - thanks for sharing!

:)
Dee

The pics look great everyone! I am off towards the end of the week and can't wait to get out in my yard!

That bed is a little micro climate, I think the rocks interspersed through it keep it warmer than the others. The bleeding hearts out back are just starting to bud up.

Love your bleeding hearts, daff and white edged hosta combination ssateham.

I too am struck by your early garden--I was up in Chicago yesterday and almost froze to death, but still enjoyed the zillions of tulips planted along the Michigan Avenue walkways and parks. A tulip lovers fantasy.

Went to the Cincinnati Flower Show this morning and enjoyed some of their spring flower combinations in window boxes.

Isn't that an awesome show! Did you hit the plant sale tent?

You were in Chicago and didn't come for a visit? Shame on you!! It was pretty cold here yesterday - nicer today, though.

We drove up in the morning for an appointment and were back in Cincy by 7:30 p.m. But, I know the best way now and will no doubt be back soon. The tulips on Michigan Avenue and around the Watertower were amazing--I don't see how they stood the wind and hail yesterday, but they did and were gorgeous. I thought about all the DGers in that neck of the woods but my DH would hardly stop to appreciate the tulips, much less make a 'horticultural detour'!

My photos are not very good, but here's an attempt at recording a 'color echo'. Topiaries were 'big' at the show this year. I think they are making a comeback as a garden fashion statement, only the 'bigger the better'! This one was 12 feet high, I bet.

This message was edited Apr 26, 2006 7:19 PM

Incredible photo Tabasco!!! Do you know what sort of animal thats supposed to be? The whole display is amazing.

Steve

mmmm....well, I was so busy trying to focus the pic, I didn't pay a lot of attention to the details of the exhibit (like what it was!). It was very awesome, though!

Here is is from the other side. It's difficult to make out, but the other creature is somekind of bird--maybe it's a mythical theme...

Your're right. It looks like it could be that type theme. It's just so neat how it's all done. And I can't get over the way it looks!

Steve

This message was edited Apr 26, 2006 10:13 PM

This is 'Gold Heart' bleeding heart with my primroses. The primroses add so much in my spring garden that I don't think I'll ever be without them again.

Here are a few of my favorites (a few, if the posts don't take forever :) )

Spiraea 'Goldmound' and grape hyacinths

And, finally, another bleeding heart combo with gold, this time with the gold on other plants - 'Goldmound' and 'Goldflame' spiraea. There's also a Corylus contorta in the foreground.

Funny how the "first" post was my second . But it did take only 25 minutes! LOL Love that dial-up. What I wouldn't give for a high-speed connection without having to get cable-tv out here in the boonies.

ooooohhhh What's the twiggy thing? I like the graphic element it adds

Tabasco, I am drooling!!! Especially over the Japanese maple! Someday, when I live out in the country (crossing fingers) I WILL have a Japanese garden! TAmara

sstateham, that's the Corylus contorta before leafing out.

Here's one more, with pinky-purples. A 'Crimson Queen' Japanese maple, azaleas, and redbuds blooming in the distance.

Sstateham, that pic is gorgeous!!!! I don't have any bleeding hearts, but I think I will definitely be getting some! TAmara

Whoops! No perennials in that last shot. Sorry.

LOL mickgene--don't apologize! I love all the combinations. Didn't realize loading pics on dial-up was such an effort! thanks for doing it.

Thanks, zone5girl--I am having fun with planting out my front garden this year. Let's see some of your pics?!

Here's one of my favorites for the hosta border-- I planted bulbs of the latest flowering narcissus 'baby moon' among my gold edged hostas (just emerging) and some purple allium. Very cute and different. This pic doesn't show well, but you can get the idea. I'm ordering more of the 'baby moon' daffodils for my other gold hostas.

tabasco, those are sooo cute and I really like the combo. Where did you find them? I have loads of gold-edged hostas that could use something interesting near them while they're emerging. Most of my hosta beds are too concentrated on hostas without other season interest.

mickgene--thanks. I buy many of my bulbs from John Scheepers

http://www.johnscheepers.com/catview.cgi?_fn=Bulbs (click on Jonquillas and it's the first on the left).

or Brent & Becky's. I bought my alliums from bleek.

I like Baby Moon because it is such a late bloomer and is kinda cute around the hostas.

Very nice t! Love the textural contrast of the hosta and Baby Moon. That sweet little daff blooming as late as allium is too cool! I've had those on my order list so many times and it always got tossed in making my order somewhat realistic, lol. But BabyMoon has just moved way up to 'gotta get' status.

Love the 'Crimson Queen' Maple with the azaleas Michgene!

susan

Thank you, Susan. It was purely serendipitous, since I have had that poor tree in 3 different spots trying to protect it from the deer.

This combination just happened too, but I love the white anemone with the white candytuff each year.

Susan

Here is the photo.

Brunnera macrophylla with golden Creeping Jenny.

Susan

Both are pretty, thanks Susan!

Susan, both are stunning!

I'm enjoying lots of foliages until so many perennial buds open. They really keep the show going between the spring bulbs and the late spring perennials. These little wild phlox are doing a nice job to.

Another view:

I love this little tiarella.