I have some yellow and pink oriental lilies that bloom the last week of July and the first week of August (yellows will last into the second week). I'm looking for companion plants so that my perennial garden looks "of a piece" at this time of the summer. Can you all recommend anything? My color scheme focuses on pink, yellow, true red, blue and purple (like salvia or Blank Knight delphs.) I'm in zone 4b/5a.
tia
las
Companions for Oriental Lilies?
I'm sure I'm not the best to answer because I live in Z8. But for what it is worth, you may want to research these and see if you might like them, suit your color needs, and are hardy in your zone. These are perennials that I grow and are bloomiong now amongst my late lilies. You can use Google image to get photos of these.
Hebe: "Great Orme". Purchased from a nursery shade house but I am growing it on my south side where the shade doesn't hit until late afternoon. Spikes of varying shades of pink.
Upright hardy fuchsia: I purchased these as "June Bride" but google images show something else so I am including a photo taken in my garden today. It is red and what looks like dark blue but when the sun is on it I can see that it is a very dark purple. Unlike basket fuchsias, these can take full sun, according to a fuchsia society site I checked out. If these are winter hardy in your zone you can do some research to find similar color design. They bloom until they freeze out and are grown directly in the ground, not in baskets.
Phygelius: "Devil's Tears": Red on the outside and yellow on the inside. Common name is Cape Fuchsia.
And a closer photo of the fuchsia.
I would help to actually attach it!
I have some Caradona salvia that blooms before the lilies and Black and Blue salvia that blooms after they do. I'm also trying some short cosmos this year too. It hasn't starting blooming yet, but should soon. I plant the lilies in beds mixed in with Iris and daylilies and they extend the time of color too. August is my worst month since the daylilies are finishing up except for rebloom. Some of the Helenium are just starting to bloom here and the shorter ones allow the lily foliage to get enough sun. Mums and rudbeckia are good too for late summer and fall color. I do plant some annuals each year for the front of the border. Verbena, vinca, lantana and zinnias are my favorites and all bloom until frost.
My phlox blooms the same time as my Conca d'Or and makes a nice combo.
This is neat since gemini sage and I were just discussing this on another thread. We both like phlox with our orientals and gemini was nice enough to point out hydrangeas too. I also have 'Statice' and'Yarrow' that I plant at the feet of my orientals.
