Some Stunning Flower Combinations
Contrasting Color, Form and Leaf texture Make All the Difference
Flowers become even more eye-catching when paired with contrasting blooms or low-growing, leafy plants. By blending color, form, and leaf texture, certain flower and plant combinations create stunning visual effects in the garden. Consider grouping two or more of the pairings that I suggest together—not only will it enhance the beauty of your landscape, but the increased diversity will also attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Of course, my suggested two-plant combos are just a few out of many possibilities. I hope they inspire you to create your own flower duos!
Gomphrena and ‘Helen Von Stein’ Lamb’s Ear
The velvety, oversized silver leaves of 'Helen Von Stein' Lamb’s Ear provide a gray-green foundation that makes the hot-pink tufted blooms of Gomphrena 'Truffala Pink' pop. While Gomphrena is a sun-loving annual that delivers rosy color from early summer to frost, the lamb's ear returns each year. Best of all, this pairing is highly deer-resistant.
Astilbe and Japanese Painted Fern
In the dappled light of a part-shade garden, the feathery, soft pink plumes of the deer resistant perennial, Astilbe, brighten the scene. You can add a lovely textural contrast by planting the silvery Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum) next to the astilbe. This pairing elevates the planting. I also planted the chartreuse-yellow foliage of coral bells (Heuchera) to insert a splash of sunshine to a shady site.
