
Perennial Plant Combinations & Inspiration
Beautiful gardens are ever-changing, living art creations dependent on design, plant combinations and a dedicated gardener to tend and edit them. A garden is never really finished. Change is always inevitable as one season flows into another. The reasons are plentiful. It may have been a harsh winter and the garden suffered some losses. Plants may have started to fill in their allotted space. Maybe the garden just requires some updating. I look at this as an opportunity to create new and even more exciting plant combinations. I am always refining the landscape and grappling with control that I realize is only temporary.
Throughout the growing season the garden experiences the dynamic power of the life force which requires us to stop and observe the subtle changes that happen minute by minute, hour by hour and daily. Photos help relive the beauty of the moment and I would highly recommend using photos as tool for improving your garden design skills. Each year I try to take as many photos as possible. I can access these photos at a later date to see what worked and what may require improvement, even if it’s subjective. It’s your garden so do what amuses you and keeps you gardening.
I approach gardening from an artist’s perspective and perennials are my painter’s palette to apply to the garden canvas. I have noticed that in nature all colours combine harmoniously and it’s been my own preferences that have guided my colour choices in the garden.
Probably one of the more commonly asked questions at Plant Paradise Country Gardens is, What should I plant with this perennial? An understanding of the soil, light and moisture conditions in your garden will determine your plant choices. Knowledge of plants can only refine your ability to create great combinations. It all starts with choosing the right plant for the right location.
To determine which perennials to grow in your garden, start by asking yourself a few questions. What are the light conditions in my garden? Is it a sunny or shady location? Is the soil dry or moist? Answers to all of these questions will determine which perennials will grow more successfully in your garden.
The key to creating an attractively pleasing garden begins with choosing plants with contrasting shapes, textures, flowers and foliage that will add excitement and interest for the whole season.
Below I am highlighting some plant combinations from Plant Paradise Country Gardens to inspire you to create your very own beautiful combinations. My book, Spectacular Plant Combinations for the Perennial Garden, will provide an in-depth, essential guide to uncovering the colours, shapes and design techniques I have used to create the award winning botanical gardens at Plant Paradise Country Gardens. All of these plants are grown on-site and are for sale from Plant Paradise Country Gardens. View the complete catalog here.
Creating spectacular plant combinations can be a daunting task for many gardeners. The book, Spectacular Plant Combinations for the Perennial Garden by Lorraine Roberts provides you with the skills to succeed confidently. It is an essential guide to uncovering the colours, shapes and design techniques that Lorraine has used to create the combinations featured above from the award winning botanical gardens at Plant Paradise Country Gardens™.