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katlynn719

Companion Plants

katlynn719
11 years ago

Now that things have started to slow down in the garden, I wanted to share some companion plants.


The Siam Tulips that I bought last year came back with a vengeance late this summer. Since regular tulips only bloom one season here, I decided to buy a few more Siam Tulips, but in a different color.


Here are Siam Tulips with BEST KEPT SECRET -


Another new plant I tried this year was Celosia Cristata Mahogany Red. I grew these from seed. I have grown celosia before, but this was a new variety for me. Unfortuneately, I killed them all with love. I sprayed them with a combination of miracle grow and dish soap. They promptly shriveled up and died. All the other bedding plants and daylilies loved this combo, but obviously these plants prefer to be left alone.


Celosia Cristata is a very short bedding plant. You can see it here peeking out of the foliage with RUBY LIPSTICK -


Also new this year was Variegated Duranta "Gold Edge". I planted several in a daylily bed with Black Pearl Pepper Plant and Black Eyed Susan.


You can see the Variegated Duranta in this daylily bed with a rose bush, SAFE ISLAND and TROPICAL SENSATION -


Here is a Black Pearl Pepper plant with some daylily seedlings -


My reliable Lollipop Lilies performed well. Here they are behind MULBERRY CONNECTION -

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Here are the Lollipop Lilies in the foreground of ROSE MASTERPIECE -


Did you try any new companion plants this year? Feel free to add to this post. I'm always looking for ideas!

Kathy

Comments (11)

  • jean_ar
    11 years ago

    LOve all your pictures. Love them Tulips.Have never heard of that kind before, but they are very pretty.ANd the lolipop lilies are very pretty,and I just love thatROSE MASTERPIECE. gorgeous.

    Jean

  • dementieva
    11 years ago

    Great post! I'll have to look into those Siam tulips.

    We don't have much exotic stuff next to the daylilies, mostly things like dianthus, mums, cannas, and iris.

    Nate

  • marricgardens
    11 years ago

    Those Siam tulips are beauties, I've never heard of them before. I love foliage plants and the Duranta is gorgeous! Is it a shrub or a flower? I'll have to look for it too. I used to have the Lollipop lilies but the voles found them. Marg

  • Julia WV (6b)
    11 years ago

    Lovely companions. I don't think I've ever heard of Black Pearl Pepper. I'll have to go look that up. Your Lollipop lilies are so pretty and the tulips.
    But, I always enjoy seeing a pic of ROSE MASTERPIECE. Looks like it does well in your garden too.

    Julia

  • katlynn719
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Jean, Glad you enjoyed the pics. I had never seen Siam Tulips either, until last year. I wasn't sure they'd survive the winter. But they came back and quadrupled in number. And I agree, ROSE MASTERPIECE is a beauty.

    Nate, The Siam Tulips should do well in your zone. They are suppose to be borderline here. But I have them planted in a protected area, under some pine trees. I found them in Home Depot. This year they had them in a solid rose color. I bought two small pots. I divided them all and spread them out. We'll see how they do next year.

    Marg, The Duranta is new to me, but it's suppose to be a shrub. This variety does not flower. Mine were only about 6 inches when I planted them and they grew at least a foot this year.

    Julia, The Black Pearl Pepper plants are easy to grow from seed. They love hot weather. I save a few peppers every year so that I can replant them.

    Kathy

  • organic_kitten
    11 years ago

    Lovely, Kathy. I have a couple of the the duranta erecta with the tiny lavender flowers, and love it. Here in zone 8 it dies to the ground in winter, but come back every year.

    The paprika yarrow bloomed all summer, a reliable plant here.

    The only "new" companion plant is the volunteer purple butterfly bush that decided to sprout and will not be permanent, since it is in a place that crowds some of my babies.

    I have never heard of Siam tulips, but really like them.

    Thanks for posting your plants, they really look good.
    kay

  • katlynn719
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Kay, I love your duranta. I've looked at that type, but haven't figured out where to plant one. I'm hoping the variety I bought will not get as big. If it does, I'll have to move it. I've never grown paprika yarrow, but I love the ferny folaige. I will keep an eye out for it next year.
    Kathy

  • shive
    11 years ago

    The Siam tulips are really pretty. I've never heard of them, or any reblooming tulip before. I grew Celosia Mahogany Red from seed for a couple of years. I did like the foliage, but the plants never seemed to make it all the way through summer for me. I like how it looks with your Ruby Lipstick.

    I've pretty much been growing the same companion plants - both perennials and annuals - because they work well in the climate: Becky daisies, tall phlox Bright Eyes and David, several types of balloon flowers, lantana and pentas. I didn't grow as many annuals as in the past because of the crazy weather this past spring and summer.

    Debra

  • katlynn719
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Debra, The Siam tulips only bloomed in late summer. They do not bloom in the Spring, like regular tulips (not for me anyway). The true tulips bloom great here for one Spring...and then they die. These Siam tulips came back from last summer...so I was pleased.
    I wish I could grow phlox. I've tried several varieties, but no luck. I really missed my Profusion Zinnias this year. But after growing them repeatedly, I thought the soil might need a change. Next year, I plan to bring them back. They are one of the few flowering annuals that can take our heat and humidity all summer.
    Kathy

  • dementieva
    11 years ago

    I looked up Siam Lily, and we actually have some of those, of the same genus at least. They're from the ginger family, and I was calling it "hidden lily" or "hidden ginger," which are also common names. It does fine and comes back every year. They were planted here when we bought the house.

    You're right, they do bloom later into the summer.

    Nate

  • katlynn719
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Nate, I looked up Hidden Lily and you're right - they do look very similar. I had forgotten they were gingers. I like the time of year that these Siam tulips bloom...they are very showy when most plants are struggling with the heat.
    Kathy

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