Mix and match these flower combinations for a gorgeous garden.
Which flowering plants go together?
Use these winning combinations and time-tested design tips to fill your landscape with flowers that work exceptionally well together.
Credit: Bob Stefko
Here, the cheerful yellow flowers of ‘Little Gem’daffodilscombine beautifully with blueChionodoxa.
Plant both in the fall for spring flowers.
Both are hardy in Zones 3-8.
Credit: Jason Donnelly
Here,Fritillaria persica, or Persian lily, adds extra interest to a bed of redtulips.
Plant in full sun or part shade and well-drained soil.
Both arehardy in Zones 4-8, and can reach up to 3 feet tall.
Credit: David Speer
In this border,chivesandlavenderbloom in front ofAmsonia,bearded iris, andpeony.
In this garden, abright pink shrub roseis a good partner to purplish-blue Siberianiris.
The difference in foliage makes for good contrast.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Rely on Annuals
Hot, sunny conditions are no problem for annuals such aspetuniaandpentas.
They both alsoattract bees and butterflies.
Raise the Flag
Who can resist a red, white, and blue garden?
Credit: Rob Cardillo
Thisflower-packed fence linecontains just three varieties, so it’s easy to duplicate the look.
Surround ‘Scarlet’ Flower Carpet roses with whitesweet alyssumand darkblue lobelia.
Plant in full sun and well-drained soil, and this trio will bloom through the fourth of July.
Credit: Blaine Moats
Go Tropical
You don’t need to live near the equator to enjoy thebeauty of tropical plants.
This grouping includesAlocasia,coleus,impatiens, andCuphea.
Brighten the Shade
Shady spots in your garden don’t have to be barren and boring.
Credit: Ed Gohlich
There’s a host ofshade-dwelling annuals and perennialsthat will add instant impact to any location.
Here, a carpet of bright greensweet woodrufffronts a bed of Japanesehakone grassand a cluster of blue- and chartreuse-leafhostavarieties.
The hostas and sweet woodruff also add blooms to this arrangement.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
In fact, astilbe (sometimes called false spirea) and hosta are two of the very bestshade-garden companions.
Plus, both are hardy in Zones 4-8 (hostas can survive in Zones 3-9).
Mix Flower Shapes
Add interest to your summer garden by mixing flowers with different shapes together.
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
The result looks like a living bouquet.
Instead, make a bigger impression by sticking with different versions of the same color.
Pairing Purples
This spring bed is full of textures and contrasts within a purple color theme.
Credit: Matthew Benson
Bearded irises, amsonia, andcatmintall bloom around the same time so they make excellent perennial companions.
Incorporatingsomething unexpected into the design, such as edible chives, adds interest.
Include Hydrangeas
Most hydrangeas bloomfrom midsummer to fall, making them ideal partners for mixed flower borders.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
In this garden, a large ‘Annabelle’hydrangeaanchors a border packed with perennials and annuals.
Other flowers here includebegonia, sweet alyssum,Oxalis,phlox,sedum,Lythrum,Torenia, andmarigold.
Mix Shrubs and Flowers
Make shrubs the backboneof your flower border.
Credit: Mark Lohman
They add color and structure to your garden even when everything else is not in bloom.
There are also a wide variety of colors to choose from.
These creatures are active from spring to fall but are busiest in late summer when the temperatures heat up.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Two butterfly favorites include yellowblack-eyed Susanand purpleageratum.
Add Edible Varieties
Want a garden that’s both colorful and delicious?
Then tuck brightly colored vegetables alongside your annual and perennial flowers.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Here, it’s paired with theRussian sagethat develops clouds of blue flowers in late summer and fall.
Plan for Drought
Sooner or later every part of the country is subject to periods of drought.
To prepare for the worst and still have a colorful garden, chooseplants that thrive when it’s dry.
Credit: Rob Cardillo
This colorful bed includes anisehyssopand creeping sedum, both of which grow and bloom even when rainfall is scarce.
Pair Annuals and Herbs
Never underestimate herbs.
These fragrant and colorful plants mix well with annuals, perennials, and roses.
Credit: Matthew Benson
Plant a Nonstop Flower Show
For all-season color, interplant annual flowers with reblooming varieties of perennials.
The annuals will keep the garden colorful while the perennials come in and out of bloom.
In thiswalkway border, annuals such as marigold,calendula, and zinnia are teamed with perennialcoreopsisand daylily.
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
you could make them look even more eye-catching by planting flowers in front of them that offer contrasting colors.
Here, a yellowconeflowermakes a vibrant pairing with a purpleclematis.
Plus, they’ll give your landscape an extra boost of color.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
This brilliant shade border is kept maintenance-free with a thick planting of silver-leafLamiumand two varieties of hosta.
In addition to their pretty foliage, these perennials also bloom.
It’s easy if youleave room for fall favorites.
Credit: Rob Cardillo
Think Ahead
You don’t have to stop enjoying your garden when winter comes.
Just be sure to include some plants with sturdy flower stalks that willprovide interest in the wintry landscape.
For example, this border contains ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum and ‘Hameln’fountain grass.
Credit: Andrew Drake
Both bloom in the late fall and will hold their faded blooms all winter long.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Bob Stefko
Credit: Rob Cardillo
Credit: André Baranowski
Credit: Blaine Moats
Credit: Bob Stefko
Credit: Bob Stefko
