Best Companion Plants for your Summer Annuals
Companion plants
One of the best ways to enhance your seasonal planting is to add colorful companion plants with your flowering annuals. We call them “fillers” – they fill up the empty spaces !
It’s the perfect way to establish your own unique take on planting. A personal expression of what tickles your fancy ! There are no rules – go for what you like !!!
These leafy plants will boost the display volume, and contrast or complement your annuals depending on what you use. A super flexible pallet that allows you to combine the colors and textures you like and want to enjoy seeing all season long !
There are many different cultivars and hybrids each with a plethora of colors and textures to choose from. To make it easier to decide, I have arranged them into 3 groups. The first is based on size and shape, the second on foliage color, third is leaf texture. Species highlighted in red have a multitude of cultivars available.
The plants are selected based on which are the most commonly available. Of course, you can use whatever you want to enhance your display!
The graph shows you all the possibilities and the picture section shows some of the most striking.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Alternanthera reineckii
Red and purple tones
Asparagus meyersii
Fluffy and light green
Caladium hybrids
Available in more colors that you can imagine
Coleus
Many colors, textures, shapes and sizes to choose from
Kimberly Queen fern
Very versatile - put it anywhere
Euphorbia Diamond Frost
It will last the entire season until Fall
Dichondra argentea
Delicate cascading foliage blends in everywhere
Cordyline fruticosa
Amazing pink foliage complements many flowering annuals
Pennisetum Purple
Fountain Grass
Great as a backdrop to your display
Senecio cineraria
Dusty Miller
Great white color contrast
Hipoestes
Polka Dot Plant
Striking colorful foliage
Ipomoea
Sweet Potato Vine
Available in rust, pink, red and purple too
Can’t figure out which to use !
Call us - we know !
PLANT SPECIALISTS
GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 53 YEARS !
Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBA
All photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK
