Fun Flowers and Fab Foliage for Low-water, Three-season Garden

This floriferous and fun plant combination for a full sun area of your garden will bring delight to you and the pollinators for a solid three seasons. The show begins in spring with carpets of blue blooms on the ground plane via Veronica 'Georgia Blue' and the colorful emerging foliage of the smokebush. As the season progresses, the perennials emerge and bulk up. By late spring, early summer the blooms begin appearing. Shasta daisies and salvia are followed closely by spires of purple from Penstemon 'Enor'. The gray foliage of Brachyglottis greyi is covered in yellow, daisy-shaped blooms. A froth of light blue flowers in early summer on Amsonia hubrechtii are sweet, but its real claim to fame is its fantastic golden-yellow fall color and softly swaying foliage. The two largest shrubs in this scene, the rose of Sharon and smokebush complement each other beautifully. The dark eye of the Rose of Sharon speaks to the deep burgundy foliage of Cotinus 'Royal Purple'. Because this plant combination is dominated by deciduous plants, the winter-time structure will not be its strong point. No matter—all you need to do is situate this scene between other sections of your garden that have a stronger presence in winter and/or plant it in an area of your garden that you enjoy mostly during summer but don't see much of in in the off-season. 


Growing Conditions

Zone: 8
Exposure: Full Sun, Afternoon Sun, Reflected Heat
Water Needs: Drought-tolerant, Average, Occasional

Design Considerations

Style: Northwest Eclectic, Wildlife Friendly, Waterwise
Features: Attracts Pollinator, Drought Tolerant, Flower Fest, Varied Foliage, Texture, and Form, Wildlife Friendly
Focus: Mixed Border, Pleasing Seasonal Flow, Saving Water
Seasons of Interest: Spring, Summer, Fall, Pleasing Seasonal Changes, Three Seasons of Interest

Care and Maintenance


Maintenance Level: medium
Maintenance Tasks: Deadheading, Divide Plants to Rejuvenate, Prune annually



Plants In this Combo