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Your worst companion planting

Mine is to grow pink jasmine on the fence, and wisteria on a post/cable structure next to the fence, and then not do adequate maintenance. Six or seven years later ... OMG I am totally eradicating the pink jasmine, it has been a much bigger hassle than the wisteria, plus it doesn't go dormant! At least the wisteria takes part of the year off and gives me time to reign it back in :-)

So what has been your worst companion planting?

Comments (7)

  • socks
    10 years ago

    Probably the mint in the roses.

    Or the tomato that suffocated a rose bush.

    That shamrock-oxalis type plant sold around St. Patrick's Day planted in the shade garden.

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    10 years ago

    I have a yellow and red striped rose with a burgundy, purple, and orange stippled Iris. Blooming together, they are truly hellish.

  • gyr_falcon
    10 years ago

    An 3' tall aloe growing beside a moth ginger. They are hidden behind a shed but aren't plants you would normally put together. They ended up as partners because the neighbors butchered their trees, drastically changing the light and heat conditions. I had to move plants, and at that time, most of the yard was concrete and the choices were limited. The aloe has had to be moved three times in as many years already, and I really don't know where else to put it. The ginger would be a better mover, but there is not enough room for it anywhere the conditions would be good for it to grow.

    So, for now, they awkwardly hold hands behind the shed.

  • hosenemesis
    10 years ago

    Hopi Red Dye Amaranth (deep burgundy) with clear lemon yellow snapdragons. It made my eyes hurt and set my teeth on edge.

  • kittymoonbeam
    10 years ago

    The ugliest I ever saw was a row of aloe vera surrounded by orange and purple violas. Beetlejuice would have loved it.

    The worst companions in my garden were the crocus I tried to make live in the Bermuda I inherited ( it was my first year gardening ) before tall fescue became widely known. It was adorable in the dichondra however.

  • jakkom
    10 years ago

    A really beautiful rusty orange alstroemeria which I mistakenly planted at the foot of a fuchsia-purple tree rose "Intrigue". As hosenemesis said, it set one's teeth on edge. I could only stand it once, the two blooms together were like fingers scraping down a chalkboard!

    I was really sad, because I had absolutely no other place to put it and it was flourishing. Into the compost cart it went, however.

  • wcgypsy
    10 years ago

    Not mine, but a sight that I pass every day and wonder if they'll pull something out. They haven't yet, so they must like it.....a long row of alternating red and white roses and Bird of Paradise....