Why do all the hard work when the best-of-the-best in garden design have already done it for you. For urban gardeners in the UK, creating a flower border where all the components work in perfect harmony can be incredibly satisfying and rewarding. Sometimes, it just doesn't work though, which can result in the dreaded garden centre shaped money pit where we end up spending a pile of cash on plants that either don't suit the conditions in your garden or just don't sit well together.
So, inspired by award-winning garden designers (and their award winning gardens of course), we’ve taken six plant combinations that not only complement each other in design but also thrive together in urban environments. These combinations balance aesthetic appeal with practical growing conditions, ensuring your garden is a standout feature of your home.
1. Soft Focus: Valeriana, Thalictrum, Iris and Dryopteris
Design Aesthetic: This combination encapsulates a serene soft sanctuary, blending Japanese forest bathing principles, known as Shinrin-yoku, with elements of woodland tranquillity. The combination of Valeriana officinalis with Thalictrum ‘Black Stockings’ creates a gorgeous soft wispy combination. Iris sibirica ‘Papillion’ provides a bit more colour umph for the sunnier spots in the border with the whole thing tied together by Dryopteris wallichiana - seen together towards the back of the image above.
Growing Conditions: All these plants will thrive in sun or part shade and moist but well-drained soil, making them ideal for sunny or for a dappled sun border, or under a light an airy tree such as a birch or acer.
Award-Winning Garden: This combination was featured in the "Muscular Dystrophy UK – Forest Bathing Garden" garden by Ula Maria, which won a Gold Medal and Best In Show at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2024.
2. Modern Serenity: Veronicastrum, Ammi Visnaga, Foxgloves and Thalictrum flavum
Design Aesthetic: This unique planting design aims to encourage mindfulness and contemplation in the midst of urban chaos. The Ammi Visnaga and Thalictrum flavum do much of the heavy lifting, creating soft harmonious basis for the purple Veronicastrum Virginicum Fascination spires and Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora to poke through and provide the impact. The whole thing is tied together with Deschampsia cespitosa - this grass adds movement and fills in the 'dead air' between plants. Stunning!
Growing Conditions: This is a woodland setting but these would be happy in a dappled sun or partially shaded position and with a moist but well drained soil, ideal for creating a tranquil retreat in your urban garden.
Award-Winning Garden: This combination was featured in the "The Stop and Pause Garden" which was showcased at the Hampton Court Flower Show, winning Gold in 2019.
3. Colour Paradise: Achillea, Helenium, Imperata and Agapanthus
Design Aesthetic: This beautiful border few different species but the ones that are used cover different colours across various varieties. Achillea is use 3 times here with 'New Vintage Red' (middle right of image), 'Pretty Belinda' (lighter colour just in front) and 'Credo' on the left front. This interspersed with lollipops of Agapanthus 'Full Moon' and Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’. The red contrast is provided by the stunning Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty' (middle) and the grass Imperata cylindrica ‘Rubra’ (bottom right of image). The result is a glorious rich tapestry of colour, shape and form that is coherent, but still natural looking.
Growing Conditions: These plants thrive in full sun and moist well-drained soil, perfect for a lively and dynamic urban garden.
Award-Winning Garden: This combination was used in the 'Colour Box' garden designed by Charlie Bloom. It won a Silver-Gilt Medal RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2017.
4. Mauve Mix: Saliva, Ceanothus, and Stipa Gigantea
Design Aesthetic: Create a soft planting display with shades of purple and mauve with this hardy combination. The purple spikes of Saliva 'Cardonna' provides structural spires with long flowering period, Ceanothus 'Pallidus Pink Arrow' compliments with its pinky-mauve cloud like flowers and the grass Spita Gigantea intersperses to soften and blend this beautiful combination into an elegant award-winning border design.
Growing Conditions: These plants thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, perfect for creating a drought-tolerant and eye-catching urban garden.
Award-Winning Garden: This combination was showcased in the "Breaking Ground" garden by Matthew Wilson and Gavin McWilliam, which received a Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2017.
5. Anti-Slug Perfection: Ornithogalum, Hyssopus, Achillea and Sanguisorba
Design Aesthetic: Perfect for your border where slugs and snails run riot, this combination offers a beautiful (I'm running out of superlatives - can you tell?), mix of textures and colours to create a stunning naturalistic planting scheme that won't get nibbled, much. The upright white lollipops of Ornithogalum 'saundersiae'; sit beautifully with the plume-like flowers of the yellowy Achillea ‘Terracotta’. These are contrasted with the clever pairing of the purple Hyssopus officinalis at the front and the delicate floating maroon tufts of Sanguisorba officinalis 'Tanna'. The grass drooping over the top is Chionochloa conspicua. Lovely stuff - in the words of Alan Partridge.
Growing Conditions: This is a full sun border design, which will do well in slightly dryer soil conditions if drought is a problem for you.
Award-Winning Garden: This combination was highlighted in the "Parsley Box Garden" garden by Alan Williams, which won The People’s Choice Award Best Sanctuary/Artisan Garden at the 2021 Chelsea Flower Show.
6. Autumn Colours: Symphyotrichum, Amsonia, Solidago and Filipendula
Design Aesthetic: This award-winning garden features a sophisticated contrasting pallet of autumn colours. There are 4 main players in this design; the white feathery flowers of Filipendula yezoensis, the lilac star shape flowers of Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies', the yellow contrasts of Solidago x luteus ‘Lemore’ and the ocre autumnal foliage of Amsonia illustris. This is a showcase of the beauty to be found in late summer and early autumn . the big leaf shrub at the back of this border is Aralia cordata and the grass is Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Cassian’s Choice’ BTW!
Growing Conditions: The border is fairly flexible and will be happy in full sun or partial shade and in well-cultivated, fertile, moist soil
Award-Winning Garden: Gold medal-winning M&G Garden from the 2021 RHS Chelsea Flower Show by Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg.
Happy gardening, and may your urban oasis flourish!
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