I have 4 huge black eyed susan plants, througout my front yard, I absolutely love them, they are very bright, showy and blooms last forever. I am looking for something that will contrast in color but keep their blooms for as long as the Black eyed susans. right now, I have a paeony bush in between two, but that blooms way early in the spring, then is just boring foliage for the rest of the summer, and I actually have some butterfly bushes next to another one.
What I am looking for is either a bright red or blue flower. Is there a red version of the black eyed susan? I would love a red version....
I would love any ideas, suggestions, thoughts you can share with me on this dilema.
Thank you in advance.
cheers
Pebble
companion plant to Black Eyed Susan
Karma, great to hear from you! I have seen your posts here and there and feel that I see you from across a parking lot and try to grab your attention but you arent looking my way - lol...
I have three teeny tiny blooms on one of my Brugs, I'm in heaven.....
I'll give you a call and try to get over there this weekend.
cheers
pebble
Oh Karma - you know how I become speechless when I see your Brugs.... But yeah - I am definately coming over, can I bring my Mother in law? she doesnt speak english, but she loves plants.
Thanks for the invite...
Thank you Karma. I will be looking forward to seeing you. I'll call you to set up day etc
Back to contrast for black eyed susans, I tried something really unusual this year and it looks great...
Chinese forget me nots. They are truly blue, lots of little flowers on foliage similar to the susie's. It sounds like you have gallardia, true susies are fairly small and stalky. Either way, the blue really contrasts nice with the bright yellow !
Not blue or red, but what about Japaneze Anemone (windflower)? They have great foilage and they are just starting to flower in my garden. They'd look great next to your BES's
Smiles, my black eyed susans are about 3-4 ft high, I think that the forget me nots would get lost, unless I plant them directly in front of them, which is actually a pretty good idea. right now I have ice plant in front of them, and their magenta colored blooms look stunning.
Dan, what colors do they come in? I did a google search and found a picture, they are awfully pretty, the article said that they multiply readily, so propogation by division is best. What color are yours? would you be interested in a trade? let me know if you are and I can send you a list of what I have.
thanks for the suggestions
Hi Pebble, the anemone that I have are white (Queen Charlotte) from a distance they look as if they're floating in the air and they last for several weeks. Mine are planted in morning sun and the foilage is a deep green with a little shine to the leaves. Yes they do multiply fast and I'd be more than happy to share some with you. I'm not sure how to send the plants to you, so you'll have to help me out. Let me know what you have that will grow here in the cold Midwest climate (Zone 5)
Chinese Lanterns and Shasta Daisy.
"eyes"
How about one of the darker blue Veronicas? Mine are about 2' tall and bloom all summer when I keep them dead-headed> Also had a nice nicotiana re-seed itself, dark red and has a long bloom time here, maybe a tall variety, also the darker purple annual larkspur, my tallest self-seeder plant this year is 4'.
Along the same lines as Marcia's veronica how about Salvia nemorosa 'May Night' or maybe a Euphorbia like Euphorbia griffithii "Fireglow', or Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty'. I love the red of Monarda didyma 'Cambridge Scarlet' but mine gets such powdery mildew I hate to suggest it to anyone else. Have you seen Hypericum androsaemum 'Albury Purple'...neat little shrub with the famous St Johns Wort yellow flowers and fantasic berries of red turning blackish....very decorative all year...might look great. I really like to mix a few shrubs and woody perennials in my perennial border to give it a little muscle. Dee
I have a plumed red celoisia volenteer, that just happened to spring up next to my blackeyesusans, it is really stunning. It is an annual, but will reseed itself.
Asiatic lilies? Nicotinia(there are several colors and you get the benifit of scent in the eveing)? Purple conflowers bloon about the same time as well and would look nice. Zinnias are always a good choice. I have the giant red ones this year. Some blossoms were as bigger than my hand!! Daylilies planted in front would be pretty to but they will most likely bloom before the CES. What about the red sunflowers, like 'Chianti'. I also have coeopsis (the plain yellow tickseed and the Tequilla sunrise)planted amongst my BES, and some varigated grass behind them. The Veronica and salvias are good choices too.
I vote for Russian Sage, or Purple Coneflower, or Butterfly Bush (buddlea)