Summer planting combinations and ideas

This is a lovely, bright early summer flowering combination of Geranium with candelabra primula and Red Geum. 

All are easy to grow, herbaceous perennials, which will return reliably each year. Tolerant of some shade, and not too fussy about growing conditions, these are easy to grow. In terms of maintenance, both Geranium and Geum will benefit from dead heading to prolong flowering. On a personal note, I think red Geum is much better than the yellow variety. 

Grasses mix really well with many garden plants, illustrated here Deschampsia with the late summer flowering Allium sphaerocephalon and Achillea. In the image at the top of  grasses is combined with Dierama pulcherrimum (common name angel's fishing rod,) with Agapanthus. Grasses mix well and more for ideas about mixing Ornamental grasses page and images to inspire on Pinterest below.

This is a summer scented combination of two climbing plants, Lonicera common name Honeysuckle and Clematis fargesioides. A light creamy white combination which is medium easy to grow, with the bonus of lovely scent.

Both are quite tall and vigorous climbing plants which will need a large plant support and can be kept in check by pruning.

A strong colour combination which will grow together well, a mix of mauve and red, Geranium 'Anne Folkard', lythrum and Knautia macedonica and all are easy to grow. Hardy Geraniums are easy and long flowering.  Lythrum (common name purple loosestrife) is very attractive to the bees, flowers for weeks in late summer and tolerant of most conditions, including damp soil. Knautia macedonica is also fully hardy with a preference for sun.

Thalictrum is one of the best, and easiest of garden perennials, which look looks good with the dark purple shrub Cotinus, this variety illustrated is C. Coggygria Purpurea - The Purple smoke bush. Thalictrum is a tall plant with clouds of fluffy mauve (or white flowers) and its stems will growth through and up into the Cotinus, which can also act as a support.  An easy to grow, fully hardy combination.  Cotinus needs full summer to flower well.

Delphinium and Thalictrum are a heavenly summer combination. Illustrated here is T.Alba with a dark blue Delphinium. Above left is Thalictrum delavayi with fluffy mauve flower heads. Thalictrum is the easy going member of the partnership, requiring no attention. Just plant it and away it goes. Even though Thalictrum is tall, it does not need too much staking. Delphiniums are demanding, a red wheelbarrow plant but a great combination, if you have the inclination.

A lovely bright summer combination of Helium, Monarda and Hyssop, which has the bonus of being very bee friendly. The Monarda and Hyssop are aromatic and loved by bees. This combination is of herbaceous perennials and may require staking and also cutting back at the end of the growing season. During the summer, it provides a long season of colour and will positively hum with bees. 

In subtle shades of mauve and pinks, this combination is Allium christophii with Persicaria bistorta 'Superba' and both are fully hardy and easy to grow. Persicaria is a reliable perennial which will return each year. It requires no maintenance and is easy to grow. This Allium is a spring flowering variety which again should reappear each year. It will flower for a long time and the seed heads are attractive. Some staking may be required to protect the flower heads. 

Soft greys and muted blue makes this a winning combination. The small shrub Artemisia is combined with Nepeta (common name Catmint). Not all Artemisia is as softly grey as this one, which is A. Valerie Finnis. Both are easy to grow and require no maintenance. Together they make great edging plants around a border. If Nepeta is not your choice, it could be replaced with Lavender for a very similar effect, providing conditions are suitable. A drought tolerant combination.

A cottage garden planting combination for summer. This is a lovely mix of Delphiniums and Foxgloves. The soft apricot of the Foxglove, Digitalis 'Sutton's Apricot' with pale blue Delphiniums, looks excellent. Foxgloves are biennial, which means they form one year and flower the next. However, as they are good self seeders, they reappear each year as if they were annuals.

A late summer flowering combination, tall Crocosmia 'Lucifer' with Allium sphaerocephalon. Crocosmia is an easy to grow corm/plant which returns reliably each year, as does the Allium a bulb. Whilst many Alliums are spring and summer flowering, A. sphaerocephalon is a late summer flowering variety.

Soft peachy colours a lovely summer combination of a highly scented Rose 'Sweet Juliet' and the white daisy flowers of Leucanthemum. Simple but effective.  

Rose are not straightforward to grow but very rewarding, the Leucanthemum is an easy to grow perennial returning reliably each year.

This is a lovely, bright early summer flowering combination of Geranium with candelabra primula and Red Geum. 

All are easy to grow, herbaceous perennials, which will return reliably each year. Tolerant of some shade, and not too fussy about growing conditions, these are easy to grow. In terms of maintenance, both Geranium and Geum will benefit from dead heading to prolong flowering. On a personal note, I think red Geum is much better than the yellow variety. 

Grasses mix really well with many garden plants, illustrated here Deschampsia with the late summer flowering Allium sphaerocephalon and Achillea. In the image at the top of  grasses is combined with Dierama pulcherrimum (common name angel's fishing rod,) with Agapanthus. Grasses mix well and more for ideas about mixing Ornamental grasses page and images to inspire on Pinterest below.

This is a summer scented combination of two climbing plants, Lonicera common name Honeysuckle and Clematis fargesioides. A light creamy white combination which is medium easy to grow, with the bonus of lovely scent.

Both are quite tall and vigorous climbing plants which will need a large plant support and can be kept in check by pruning.

A strong colour combination which will grow together well, a mix of mauve and red, Geranium 'Anne Folkard', lythrum and Knautia macedonica and all are easy to grow. Hardy Geraniums are easy and long flowering.  Lythrum (common name purple loosestrife) is very attractive to the bees, flowers for weeks in late summer and tolerant of most conditions, including damp soil. Knautia macedonica is also fully hardy with a preference for sun.

A lovely bright summer combination of Helium, Monarda and Hyssop, which has the bonus of being very bee friendly. The Monarda and Hyssop are aromatic and loved by bees. This combination is of herbaceous perennials and may require staking and also cutting back at the end of the growing season. During the summer, it provides a long season of colour and will positively hum with bees. 

In subtle shades of mauve and pinks, this combination is Allium christophii with Persicaria bistorta 'Superba' and both are fully hardy and easy to grow. Persicaria is a reliable perennial which will return each year. It requires no maintenance and is easy to grow. This Allium is a spring flowering variety which again should reappear each year. It will flower for a long time and the seed heads are attractive. Some staking may be required to protect the flower heads. 

Soft greys and muted blue makes this a winning combination. The small shrub Artemisia is combined with Nepeta (common name Catmint). Not all Artemisia is as softly grey as this one, which is A. Valerie Finnis. Both are easy to grow and require no maintenance. Together they make great edging plants around a border. If Nepeta is not your choice, it could be replaced with Lavender for a very similar effect, providing conditions are suitable. A drought tolerant combination.

A cottage garden planting combination for summer. This is a lovely mix of Delphiniums and Foxgloves. The soft apricot of the Foxglove, Digitalis 'Sutton's Apricot' with pale blue Delphiniums, looks excellent. Foxgloves are biennial, which means they form one year and flower the next. However, as they are good self seeders, they reappear each year as if they were annuals.

A late summer flowering combination, tall Crocosmia 'Lucifer' with Allium sphaerocephalon. Crocosmia is an easy to grow corm/plant which returns reliably each year, as does the Allium a bulb. Whilst many Alliums are spring and summer flowering, A. sphaerocephalon is a late summer flowering variety.

Soft peachy colours a lovely summer combination of a highly scented Rose 'Sweet Juliet' and the white daisy flowers of Leucanthemum. Simple but effective.  

Rosea are not straightforward to grow but very rewarding, the Leucanthemum is an easy to grow perennial returning reliably each year.