Combinations and Coordination

(or--Trying to Make an Obsession Look Like Sanity)

Early on, daylilies came into the garden as part of a plan, each with its own place in the color scheme,

but,collecting too many daylily cultivars is a definite problem if the goal is to fill the garden with attractive combinations.

The temptation to shoe-horn another new acquisition into a previously exquisite grouping is overwhelming.

Pretty soon, there's the near black spider in the "shades of pink" bed, and maybe that is all to the good.

Careful combinations look wonderful in photos, but from a distance in the garden, vibrant contrasts attract attention.

 

I like to mix yellow hems with those of other colors that have yellow throats.

Some of the throats are so dominant that it looks like you have wonderful coordination

without even trying. And yellow livens everything up.

 

Shasta Daisies, with their yellow centers also coordinate effortlessly with almost everything

except maybe near whites.

 

 

 

 

Hydrangea foliage contrasts nicely with daylily leaves so long ago I bought EMPEROR BUTTERFLY because

it seemed like a good compliment to Hydrangea 'Pia'. Of course, EB, when it is blooming, far outshines its companion.

 

 

 

 

 

Back to combining daylily with daylily: Another opportunity for coordinating is matching an eyezone color to a companion. It helps if the background of the eyed cultivar matches the companion's throat. This combo happens to be ETCHED EYES and LOCH NESS MONSTER, and also planted nearby is LAKE NORMAN SPIDER, which doesn't show in this photo.

 

Below Loch Ness Monster and Wiregrass Greenstar.

 

 

Edges can also coordinate with surrounding plants like BEAUTIFUL EDGINGS with a rose pink. I have it next to WOODSIDE ROMANCE, which is considerably shorter, (really) but the colors still look nice, I think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best combining I've ever done occurred when the daylilies were blooming in their pots and easy to move around,

but that isn't usually an attainable luxury. If you have too many clashing colors, white is a great mediator.

Daisies, or Cosmos 'Sonata White', or fever few, or even white impatiens can help separate warring color tribes.

Blue is also excellent with most daylily colors, but harder to produce in the garden,

Roses and daylilies mix well, especially the carefree kind like "knock-out" or "carpet roses".

 

Pansies are very attractive with early bloomers, though, of course, they don't go very far into really sultry weather.

Remember, though, nature manages pretty well without a color wheel, so if your garden shows all the colors of the rainbow and then some, rejoice in it.

 

 

 

 

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