BUDDLEIA

We have all known and loved the various coloured forms of the Butterfly Bushes. Now it can also be admired in the yellow-orange shade of the cultivar below.

Buddleia x weyeriana 'Sungold':  yellow-orange

with:  Asclepias tuberosa, Crocosmia (Montbretia), Rudbeckia hirta, Coreopsis spp.

CHEIRANTHUS

The English Wallflower is not seen often enough in our North American gardens, perhaps because this is a biennial plant. It is, however, definitely worth a try.

Cheiranthus:  Wallflower

behind:   Muscari, Narcissus (short, pale yellow with orange cup)
with:   Scilla campanulata, Nepeta
mass planted with:  bulbs
in front of:   Intermediate yellow or purple Iris, Darwin Tulipa

mass planted with: Tulipa

COREOPSIS

Most Tickseeds are in the yellow colour range. The edging form below, however, is an orangey-yellow shade that cries out for dark purple co-bloomers nearby.

Coreopsis auriculata 'Nana':  Mouse-Ear Coreopsis, orange-yellow Tickseed; dwarf (6-9")

a vibrant combination with:  blue Geranium magnificum
with:  Salvia x sylvestris 'May Night'

CROCOSMIA

I'm new to this genus, having picked up my first at a plant sale in 2003. For some reason I was surprised when it survived its first winter. Now I'm anxiously awaiting the appearance of its strap-shaped foliage this year as well.

Crocosmia:  Montbretia; bright orange

with:  Coreopsis verticillata

combined with:  Elymus canadensis (blue lyme grass) & Artemisia 'Powis Castle'

GEUM

I wouldn't want to be without either of the two forms of Avens grown in my garden. 'Mrs. Bradshaw' on the other hand has been banished as she does not appreciate our cold Canadian winters.

Geum borisii:  Avens

now called:  Geum coccineum (see below)
never plant near:  pink perennials (the clash will be terrible)

note the difference in colour between this cultivar and the species above; this one blooms later and lighter

for a profile of this plant, follow the link to Geum - Profile
formerly:  Geum borisii
with:  Narcissus poeticus recurvatus

synonym:  Geum chiloense 'Mrs. Bradshaw'
generally with:  dark blue or purple flowers
with:  other bright flowers such as Rudbeckia hirta, Coreopsis
with:  Brunnera, Myosotis, Rudbeckia hirta, Coreopsis

HELENIUM

Much more attractive than one of its common names suggests, Sneezeweed - also known as Helen's Flower - is a showy late-summer beauty. Given a site in full sun with evenly moist, humus-rich soil they will reward you handsomely with their abundant daisy-like blooms. These spectacular plants will draw the eye to their rear border position. Staking may be required to keep them upright, although pinching their stems once or twice in spring will promote more compact growth.

Helenium autumnale 'Brilliant':  orange-bronze, 3'

combined with:  Veronicastrum virginicum & Sedum 'Autumn Joy'

synonym:  Helenium hoopesii
with:  Achillea, Salvia, Sedum

HEMEROCALLIS

Popular everywhere, and available in a multitude of colours and shades as well as heights, Daylilies continue to delight us all. Whether planted alone in masses or combined with other bulbs, perennials, ornamental grasses, shrubs and vines, their showy "beautiful for a day" flowers keep right on coming. Keep them dead-headed and cut stalks back to below the foliage to maintain a tidy appearance throughout their long bloom period.

Some of the daylilies below are Spider and Unusual Form Daylilies. Follow the link to learn more about the beautiful cultivars available in these two classes and see images that show their amazing appearance. You will also discover how to find suppliers of these classes in your area.

Hemerocallis:  Daylily, orange shades

in front of:  Narcissus & Tulipa (to hide their dying foliage)
in front of:  Veronica spp., esp. 'Sunny Border Blue'
with:  late-blooming true bulbous Lilium, tall blue Aconitum, Astilbe, Iris sibirica, Lythrum
with:  Hosta, Ferns, Gloriosa Daisies, Rudbeckia, tall Verbascum, Heliopsis

with:  Artemisia lactiflora 'Guizho'

in front of:  Phlox paniculata (white) & Aconitum (violet or blue & white)

sometimes sold incorrectly as:  'Apricot Beauty' - there is no registered daylily by that name
this cultivar can be seen in the border around this page and in the images at the top of the page and directly above
with:  the beautiful but invasive Ladybells - Adenophora confusa

Hemerocallis 'Jan's Twister':  peach self with green throat, scape height 28", bloom 11.5", Rebloomer

this Unusual Form Crispate cultivar was registered in 1991, bloom season EM

Hemerocallis 'Octopus Hugs':  reddish-orange bitone above yellow throat, bloom season E, Fragrant, Rebloomer

this Unusual Form Cascade daylily cultivar was registered in 2000, height 38", bloom 8"
to see more Unusual Form daylilies, visit the Strongs' Daylilies site

this Unusual Form Crispate cultivar was registered in 1998 and has a 36" scape height & bloom 9"

combined with:  Lilium 'Golden Splendor', Echinops ritro & Lythrum 'Dropmore Purple'

combined with:  brick & gold Hemerocallis 'Bright Banner', rich red Hemerocallis 'Shining Plumage' &
Linum perenne
beside:   shorter forms of Achillea

another small-flowered cultivar, this orange daylily has a colour that blends with everything nearby
orange echo with:  Papaver rupifragum

IRIS

In the genus, Iris, there is surely something for everyone. Named in honour of a mythological Greek goddess who rode to earth on a rainbow, fittingly this plant comes in every colour imaginable and in forms that can be grown under a variety of conditions and exposures.

Iris x germanica:  Bearded Iris, orange shades

with:  Phlox subulata (lavender-blue) & Dicentra spectabilis (white)

KNIPHOFIA

The Torch Lily, also known as Red-Hot Poker, bears spikes of tubular flowers above narrow, stiff foliage. Planted in full sun and well-drained soil, they are best left undisturbed to spread wide and produce the bright, bold, vertical accents we all admire.

Kniphofia:  Red Hot Poker, Torchlily

with:  Coreopsis lanceolata 'Goldfink', Helenium autumnale, Hemerocallis, Rudbeckia, Lysimachia punctata
behind:  Achillea 'Moonshine'

with:  Gypsophila paniculata, Phlox paniculata, Boltonia asteroides, Nepeta x faassenii

note:  various combinations of red, yellow and orange; heads often bicoloured
behind:  Salvia officinalis 'Icterina'
beside:  Lavatera 'Mont Blanc', Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
in front of:  Echinops 'Taplow Blue'

for partnership ideas and a photograph follow the link to Yellow Perennials & Their Companions - 2

LILIUM

Available in many sizes, colours and forms, Lilies are prized wherever they are grown. Growing from bulbs, they produce a tall stalk on which their flowers appear in terminal clusters. With colours vibrant or subtle, pure or spotted or streaked, all have 3 petals and 3 petal-like sepals and add an element of grace to our gardens wherever they are planted.

Lilium:  Lily,  various orange shades

to contrast with:  Eryngium planum (12-18"; steely blue)

with:  Aconitum x bicolor 'Bicolor' (blue & white)

behind:  Veronica longifolia, Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue', 'Goodness Grows' or 'Romily Purple'

this one is so hot it sizzles, a perfect companion for blues or purples

Lilium tigrinum:  Tiger Lily

seen above with:  purple Platycodon grandiflorus flowers and buds
synonym:  Lilium lancifolium
with:  Aconitum x bicolor 'Bicolor' (blue & white)
with:  Oenothera tetragona 'Youngii' (similar to O. fruticosa)
in half-shade with:  Geranium psilostemon (black-centred magenta)

LYCHNIS

Campion, also called Catchfly, may be short-lived but their blooms over basal rosettes of foliage will delight. The flowers may be borne singly or in clusters. Some of the colours may be difficult to incorporate into gardens although the suggestions below will direct you to companion plants that will work best with their strong tones.

Lychnis:  Campion, orange

where:  among green-coloured plants
with:  yellow and soft blue flowers such as Perovskia atriplicifolia, Rudbeckia, Achillea, Anthemis tinctoria, Delphinium

with:  Onopordum acanthium

where:  amid blue, white or pale yellow flowers
near:  deeper red-coloured plants or bronze and purple leaves
amid:  spring-flowering shrubs; white or blue flowers
with:  tall Oenothera (Evening Primrose), Coreopsis, Gaillardia, Lilium (white, soft yellow or orange)
with:  sky-blue Delphinium, Chrysanthemum x superbum, Papaver nudicaule, Rudbeckia, Oenothera
with:  Anthemis tinctoria, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Campanula glomerata

PAPAVER

The crepe-paper flowers of Poppies provide a dazzling effect whatever the plant's size or colour. Watch for self-sown seedlings to perpetuate the show. Surround bold coloured forms with more subtle tones to ease the impact. You can't go wrong with any of the combination suggested below.

Papaver orientale:  Oriental Poppy

beside:   Helenium 'Gold Fox', Polemonium foliosissimum

with:  cream Iris, lacy white Valeriana officinalis
amid:  plenty of green tones
with:  Iris sibirica (purple) & Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus (fragrant lemon daylily)

above with:  blue Linum perenne
goes with:  everything around it, even pink tones
orange echo with:  Hemerocallis 'Tiny Pumpkin'

x PARDANCANDA

The Candy Lily, although similar to Blackberry Lily, Belamcanda (see above), has more varied colour choices. Blooming in mid to late summer for up to three weeks, in full sun or light shade and well-drained soil, its sword-like foliage and vibrant flower colours will add a hint of the exotic to your garden, even as far north as Zone 4. This is an inter-generic cross between Belamcanda and Pardanthopsis. Not only is this genus Iris-like but has now been reclassified and is now correctly called Iris x norissii. For more information about this reclassification, follow the link to Joe Pye Weeds Flowers and scroll down to near the bottom of the document.

x Pardancanda norrisii:  Candy Lily

with:  same companions as Belamcanda above
in sun with:  Sporobolus heterolepsis (Prairie Drop Seed Grass, under 2')
with:  Pennisetum setaceum, Echinacea purpurea, Geranium sanguineum, Perovskia atriplicifolia
with:  Gypsophila paniculata, Liatris spicata, Thalictrum delavayi, Veronica, Achillea, Perovskia, Daisies

• 'Dazzler Series':  8-10"x8-12", a dwarf seed strain
• 'LSS Dandy Candy':  8-12"x8-12"
• 'Kiba Giant':  30", variegated yellow, orange or purple
• 'Purple Stitch':  8-12"x8-12", yellow with purple bands around sepals
• 'LSS Royal Tiger':  8-12"x8-12", yellow and purple tiger pattern
• 'LSS Red Tiger':  similar to 'LSS Royal Tiger', red and gold tiger pattern
• 'Sangria':  24", purple and gold flowers
• 'Sunset Tones':  12-18"x9-12", seed strain, softer more muted tones than others
• 'Yellow Hybrids':  

PHLOX

Garden favourites, the Phlox family of plants is revered for many attributes - fragrance, ease of culture, prolific bloom over a long period as well as a wealth of choices in nearly every height and colour. Whether you choose the woodland species, the mounding edgers or border varieties such as those below you will be thrilled with the results.

Phlox paniculata:  Garden Phlox, orangey shades

beside:  Salvia x superba

with:  Phlox paniculata (purple), Salvia x superba

RUDBECKIA

Coneflowers certainly add vibrancy to sunny spots in our mid-summer gardens. Many are native North American wildflowers. Their daisy-shaped blooms with ray florets around a center of disk florets are easily recognizable. In addition they are generally untroubled by pests or disease and require no special fertilization or watering. Most have yellow flowers, but there is at least one in the orange range as you will see below.

Rudbeckia fulgida speciosa 'Goldsturm':  Orange Coneflower

called:  the best of the Coneflowers, said to be among the top 10 perennials of all time
with:  Monarda, especially red Monarda didyma, Chrysanthemum x superbum
beside:  Sedum 'Autumn Joy', (white) Phlox paniculata
behind:   (pink) Heuchera
interplanted with:  Tulipa 'Orange Favorite' (a parrot type)
combined with:  Perovskia x atriplicifolia & annual Salvia farinacea 'Victoria'
with:  Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb'
mass planted with:   Ornamental Grasses (Pennisetum alopecuroides) & Sedum 'Autumn Joy'

TROLLIUS

Globeflower, a showy spring-blooming perennial, is composed, not of petals, but of petal-like sepals. Foliage is divided and lovely in itself, but it is the rounded globes of blooming colour on long stalks that give the plant its common name. Provide the moist, humus-rich soil in partial shade where it can flourish and you will be delighted with the charm of this lovely plant. Follow the link for a profile of the Trollius.

Trollis ledebouri:  2', rich orange flower, late-blooming

where:  light shade with regular moisture

TULIPA

If you only grow the white, yellow, pink or red-flowering forms of this bulb, you have a whole new experience awaiting you with any of the choices available in the orange range of colours outlined below.

Tulipa:  an unnamed orange form

for partnership ideas, follow the link to Bulbs & Their Companions

for partnership ideas, follow the link to Bulbs & Their Companions

for partnership ideas, follow the link to Bulbs & Their Companions

for partnership ideas, follow the link to Bulbs & Their Companions

for partnership ideas, follow the link to Bulbs & Their Companions

There are more orange perennials to be added, so please come back again soon.

All of our own Gardens By The Bay pages can be accessed by clicking on the links below.

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CORNER GARDEN CONSTRUCTION  |  CORNER GARDEN PLANTING  |  LONG GARDEN

EAST GARDEN  |  HOSTA GARDEN  |  NORTH GARDEN  |  WINTER GARDENS

PLANT PARTNERSHIPS

BLUE PERENNIALS    Aconitum - Geranium  |  Iris - Vinca

BULBS    Allium - Hyacinthus  |  Narcissus only  |  Tulipa only  |  Minor Bulbs

BUTTERFLY MAGNETS    Anaphalis - Hemerocallis  |  Liatris - Veronicastrum
DAYLILIES      Spider & Unusual Form

EDGERS    Arabis - Iris  |  Nepeta - Veronica

FOLIAGE PERENNIALS     Alchemilla - Tanacetum

HOSTA    Hosta - all

HUMMINGBIRD-FRIENDLY PERENNIALS    Alcea - Salvia

ORANGE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Tulipa

ORNAMENTAL GRASSES    Acorus - Imperata |  Miscanthus - Spodiopogon

PINK PERENNIALS    Achillea - Lilium  |  Lychnis - Veronica

PURPLE PERENNIALS    Aconitum - Liatris  |  Polemonium - Veronica

RED PERENNIALS    Achillea - Veronica

SHADE PERENNIALS    Aegopodium - Erythronium  |  Ferns - Polemonium  |  Polygonatum - Vinca

SILVER FOLIAGE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Cerastium    |    Cornus - Limonium    |    Lunaria - Veronica

SIMPLY SPECIAL PERENNIALS    Acanthus - Saxifraga

WHITE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Iris  |  Kalimeris - Yucca

YELLOW PERENNIALS    Achillea - Hypericum  |  Inula - Verbascum

VARIEGATED-FOLIAGE PERENNIALS    Acorus - Erythronium  |  Hakonechloa - Lysimachia  |  Miscanthus - Yucca

PLANT PROFILES

Dianthus 'Tiny Rubies'  |  Geranium  |  Geum coccineum  |  Kerria japonica  |  Knautia macedonica

Paeonia tenuifolia  |  Papaver somniferum  |  Rudbeckia  |  Salvia 'East Friesland'

Trollius  |  Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'

PROPAGATION

DIVISION - SPRING ONLY  |   DIVISION - FALL ONLY  |   DIVISION - SPRING OR FALL  |   DO NOT DIVIDE

FERTILIZATION

BULBS  |   ORNAMENTAL GRASSES  |   PERENNIALS  |   SHRUBS  |   VINES

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