Specialty Gardens

Stunning Shade Combinations
Sensational Sun Combinations

Great Groundcovers

Butterfly / Pollinator Attractors

Hummingbird Attractors

 

Stunning Shade Combinations

The following plants are great combinations for use in a shady/partially shady area. Because perennials are not normally in bloom for most of the season, you should remember to take into consideration foliage and texture when determining what to use next to each other. These are just a few combos I came up with—-don't be afraid to experiment and try something different and unusual (that's what makes YOUR garden unique!).

Dark-leafed Heucheras ('Plum Pudding', "Velvet Night', 'Smokey Rose') with yellow hostas ('Gold Standard', 'Zounds', 'Golden Bullion')

Galium oderatum (Sweet Woodruff) as a groundcover around/between hostas

Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' as groundcover between gold hostas

Carex lining a shady path, with a layer of Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle), then large-leafed Hostas ('Samurai', 'Sum & Substance', 'Wheaton Blue')

Filipenula 'Aurea' behind dark-leafed Heucheras

Cimicifuga 'Brunette' in amongst a combination of bright hostas ("Gold Standard', 'Zounds', "Kinkaku')

Tiarellas (Foam Flowers) lining a shady path, with a mixture of Astilbes (with different bloom times) and a focal point of Persicaria 'Red Dragon'

Ruta (Rue) surrounding a Falopia japonica

3 Hosta 'Gold Standard' with 2 Hosta 'tok. Flavocircinalis' (they are mirror images of each other)

Brunnera 'Variegata' with Eupatorium 'Chocolate'

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Sensational Sun Combinations

The following plants are great combinations for use in a sunny area. A full sun area is defined as being a minimum of 6 hours of sun. As the sun's intensity does vary depending on the time of day, most full sun plants can get away with having sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and do just as well.

Coreopsis 'Moonbeam' with Hemerocallis 'Pardon Me'

Monarda 'Petite Delight' with Veronica 'Noah Williams'

Centranthus ruber with Pervoskia (Russian Sage)

Centranthus ruber with Artemesia 'Silver Brocade' and Festuca 'Elijah Blue'

Coreopsis 'Moonbeam' with Lamb's Ears and Sedum 'Elizabeth'

C. 'Moonbeam' with Asclepsia tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)

Eupatorium 'Gateway' with Phlox 'Miss Lingard'

Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle) with Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue' and Geranium 'Biokova Karmina'

Artemesia "Silver Brocade' with P. 'Miss Lingard' and F. 'Elijah Blue'

Prunella 'Rosea' with Salvia 'Plumosa'

Eupatorium 'Chocolate' with Gaura 'Siskyou Pink'

Sedum 'Frosty Morn' with Stokesia 'Silver Moon'

Miscanthus 'Morning Light' with Baptisia australis and Aster 'Alert'

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Great Groundcovers

The following plants spread laterally and blanket the ground, usually providing a protective mulch to aid against soil erosion and weed growth. Some are "better spreaders" than others and move more rapidly; others are "slow but steady" and may need more time and/or more plants to cover the same area. Please refer to the plant section for descriptions and cultural requirements.

Sun Perennials
* Antennaria Dioica ‘Rubra’ (Pussytoes)
* Aurinia ‘Compacta’
* Callirhoe Involucrata (Poppy Mallow)
* Cerastium tomentosum ‘Yo Yo’ (Snow-in-Summer)
* Dianthus ‘Zing Rose’
* Geum Triflorum (Prairie Smoke)
* Hernaria glabra ‘Sea Foam’
* Leptinella ‘Platt’s Black’
* Leptinella squalida
* Nepeta ‘Kit Kat’
* Potentilla Tonguei
*

Prunella grandiflora

* Sedum grisbachii
* Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’
*

Sedum spurium ‘Elizabeth’

* Teucrium Chamaedrys (Germander)
*

Thyme

Shade Perennials
*

Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle)

*

Brunnera

*

Corydalis lutea

*

Galium oderatum (Sweet Woodruff)

* Gentiana sep. var. Lagodechiana
*

Geraniums (esp. g. Gantabrigiense and ‘Rozanne’)

*

Lysmachia ‘Aurea’ (Golden Moneywort)

Grasses
*

Carex 'Ice Dance'

* Carex ‘Little Midge ’
Water/Bog Areas
* Hydrocotyle ‘Crystal Confetti’
* Juncus tenuis (Path Rush)
* Spilanthes Americana ‘Repens’
Vines
* Clematis Petriei

Hostas (esp. ‘Clausa,’ ‘Limey Lisa,’ & ‘Radio Waves’

Conifers
* Abies alba ‘Holden Arboretum W.B.’ (Silver Fir Witch's Broom)

Juniperus 'Blue Star'

* Juniperus ‘Limeglow’
*

Juniperus 'Mother Lode'

* Picea pungens ‘procumbens’
Roses
* Rose ‘Fire Meidiland’
* Rose ‘Magic Meidiland’
* Rose ‘Nearly Wild’
* Rose ‘OSO Easy’
* Rose ‘Pink Gnome’
* Rose ‘Red Cascade’
* Rose ‘Sunrise Sunset’
Woodies & Shrubs
*

Cotoneaster ‘Tom Thumb’

* Leptodermis ‘Oblonga’
* Mahonia repens
* Salix Arctica ‘Petrae’ (Creeping Arctic Willow)
* Salix caprea ‘Weeping Sally’
* Spirea ‘Alpine’
* Spirea Decumbens
* Spirea ‘Golden Elf’
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Butterfly & Hummingbird Favorites

The following are great plants for attracting butterflies and bees. If you want to give something back to nature, these are the plants you need! Please refer to the plant lists for descriptions and cultural information.

  Sun Perennials

Achillea ‘Terra Cotta’

* Agastache (Hyssop)
  Armeria maritima ‘Alba’ (Thrift)

Asclepsia (Butterfly Milkweed)

Aster

Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)

  Calamintha

Centranthus

Coreopsis

Digitalis (Foxglove)

Echinacea (Coneflowers)

Eupatorium

Geraniums

Hemerocallis (Daylillies)

Iberis (Candytuft)

Lavendula (Lavender)

Monarda

Origanum (Oregano)

Pervoskia (Russian Sage)

Salvia

Scabiosa

Sedum

Thymus (Thyme)

   

Verbena

  Shade Perennials
*

Aruncus (Goatsbeard)

*

Baptisia

   
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Hummers just LOVE the following plants—plant some annuals in bright colors (Petunias, Salvia, Cardinal Flowers, Nicotiana, Impatiens, Nasturtium) for additional attractors.

Ajuga

Aquilegia (Columbine)

Asclepsia (Butterfly Weed)

Campanula

Delphinium

Digitalis (Foxglove)

Hemerocallis (Daylillies)

Heuchera (Coral Bells)

Iris

Monarda (Bee Balm)

Phlox

Salvia

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Contrary Mary’s Plants and Designs
2735 Route 52
Minooka, IL 60447
Ponds and Water Gardens
(815) 577-7800
Perennials, Shrubs, and Trees
(815) 521-9535