Laren, the Netherlands, September 2018 design Piet Oudolf
Five theme plants along with up to 25% of so-called complementary plants create many of the planting schemes in my series of eBooks on perennial meadow gardening.
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, May 2018 design Ton Muller
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, August 2018 design Ton Muller
Here is a new scheme, base upon thoughts resulting from seeing two similar schemes this summer; as shown in the images above.
Theme plants:
3 x 1 Sesleria autumnalis
2 x 1 Euphorbia polychroma
1 x 1 Heucher villosa ‘Autumn Bride’
2 x 1 Stachys monieri ‘Hummelo’
1 x 1 Sedum ‘Karfunkelstein (Syn. S ‘Xenos”)
This mixture will create a low matrix of varying textures with flowers appearing in sequence: yellow Euphorbia in late spring, Stachys in summer, Heuchera and Sedum in autumn.
Complementary plants:
2 x 3 Pennisetum orientale
1 x 2 Limonium platyphyllum
1 x 3 Eryngium x tripartitume
Bulbs – Species tulips, Camassia and Allium christophii
Complementary plants bring extra dimensions to planting schemes; sometimes by highlighting a particular spot (perhaps on the corner of a border), and sometimes by introducing a bold contrasting element. In this scheme Pennisetum orientale will be used at regular intervals across the whole planting area to create a summer spectacle as its fine, delicate, arching flower spikes rise above its neighbours.
To learn more about how perennial meadow planting schemes are created please read Meadows 101 of this site and the first Introduction eBook Perennial Meadows.
