If you’re looking for a few great plants to stick together and make a fabulous looking pot, then I highly suggest you check out my first post on container plant combinations.
But if you need even more ideas, well then you’ve come to the right place! Keep on reading for combos I found in the book Designer Plant Combinations. The book is intended for in-ground gardens, but I’ve selected the combos that feature plants I know will do well in containers.
Yarrow and Allium
The yellow yarrow looks great planted in front of purple-pink allium bulbs. Try ‘Maynard’s Gold’ yarrow and ‘Star of Persia’ allium. In the center front of a pot, plant the yarrow, and then plant plant three allium bulbs in the back-left, back-center, and back-right of the pot. I also love yarrow with dusty miller and larkspur.
Feather Reed Grass and Red Salvia
A super-easy to plant combo is feather reed grass and red salvia. Simply put the grass smack dab in the midle of the pot and surround it with the salvia. Try ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass and ‘Louie’s Orange Delight’ salvia. If you can’t find feather reed grass, Mexican Feather Grass looks somewhat similar and is a good substitute.
Mexican Feather Grass, Shirley Poppy, and Artemisia
The whispy yellow-green of the grass, the silver of the artemisia and the bright pop of pink from the poppy look stunning together. If you can’t find artemisia, try dusty miller. It’s leaves aren’t as finely cut as artemisia, but at least it will still provide the silver foliage.
The Three C’s: Canna, Coleus, and Crotons
If you select the right varieties of each plant, this combo can provide a great punch of tropical color. Try ‘Australia’ canna for its chocolate colored foliage, ‘Rustic Orange’ coleus for it’s soft yellow-orange leaves, and ‘Tortile’ croton for a punch of yellow and green.
Sweet Potato Vine, Russian Sage, and Black Eyed Susan
Look for dwarf varieties of the sage (‘Little Spire’ is a good option) and black eyed susan (try ‘Viette’s Little Suzy’). ‘Marguerite’ sweet potato would look awesome with these plants, it’s lime green foliage would provide a lot of “pop.”