Homegrown: Great plant marriages

 

The next five articles will be from an article series entitled Homegrown and will focus on great plant marriages, the single bulb, little sprouts and seedlings, wildflowers, and wise old trees. 

 

In this article, we will concentrate on great plant marriages, which are a variety of plants that bloom at the exact same time in your garden to give a spectacular show of blooms. There are plant companions for just about every week of the growing season from May through October. For the shady perennial garden, you can combine foliage plants according to what leaf texture works well with another.

 

Other reasons to partner your plants is to provide nutrients to neighboring plants, aid in protecting other plants against disease, and repelling or attracting insects. For example, chives and garlic (allium family) are two defenders against disease such as black spot on roses. In fact, most members of the allium family can be good choices for growing next to plants prone to fungal disease, such as roses and impatiens.

 

Certain plants such as comfrey can improve the health of their neighboring partners by providing nutrients. It is a plant with deep roots that has been used for centuries as a soil conditioner because of its high mineral and protein content. Deep-rooted plants bring to the surface nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, silica, and iron, which makes these elements more available to the roots of neighboring plants. Other plants such as lupines, sweet peas, and clovers release nitrogen into the soil, which also benefits surrounding plants. If you’re having trouble getting enough phosphorus to your cannas, dahlias, irises, cockscombs or tulips, then plant lemon balm, marigolds, or valerian next to them.

 

For generations, gardeners have used companion planting to enhance the performance of vegetable gardening. There are good and bad companions. One very common partnership is to plant marigolds near their vegetables to deter the rabbits due to the marigold scent.  Planting peas and beans will take nitrogen from the air and add it to the soil, with the help of bacteria, for the benefit of other plants that lack.  You can even plant vegetables that grow tall to help shelter smaller plants.

 

You can find information about companion planting in some of the more advanced gardening books or on your favorite gardening website. Or, you can do it the easy and fun way by taking a stroll through the garden center throughout the growing season. They always have plant companions on display, so you’ll see the best of the best complimenting each other while they bloom at the same time.

 

Great plant companions in the garden are similar to another perfect union, marriage. It’s all about starting with a good foundation, the right timing, the right location and the right specimen, followed by lots of maintenance. Striving for oneness and companionship in marriage can also create a beautiful union that remains healthy, strong, and happy. Just like marriage, companion planting in the garden can create contrast, as well as, harmony, and also combine beauty and purpose that will produce a healthy and enjoyable garden for many years to come.

 

Friday's article: Homegrown Part 2: Seedlings and Little Sprouts

 

 

Plant combinations that work:

 

For a shade perennial garden - texture

In spring:

                

 

In early summer:

 

In mid-summer: 

In fall:    

                 

 

 

Books on Plant Combinations: