Where to plant pink double delight in this bed...

10 years ago

I created a new bed this spring and have just purchased three (for now) pink double delight coneflowers in 1 gallon pots. I plan to purchase more as soon as I can find more. I have 2 ivory halo dogwoods planted with some salvia in front as I love the contrast of the variegated leaves with deep purples and deep pinks. I want to plant the pink double delight next to them but the space is quite big and I'm a bit unsure as to where best to place them. I also like the Razzmatazz coneflower which I understand is a bit taller than the pink double delight but on that same note I also like the coconut lime. I was thinking of planting a couple of either of those at the back of the bed with the pink double delight in front. One concern with the coconut lime coneflower is that it might get washed out being next to the dogwood.

I also plan on adding some agapanthus in the bed and am also unsure as to where best to plant those. I want to mass plant the pink double delight and which ever other coneflower I end up picking as well as the agapanthus. Close to the mail box I have a miss kim lilac and to the side of that I have some small daisies and some pestemon that can be moved if need be.

I have planted from right to left:
Limelight Hydrangea with four Common Thrift around the front, two Ivory Halo Dogwood, with three salvia's at the front and Aubrieta in between the salvia in a triangle, three pots of the Pink Double Delights, Miss Kim Lilac, Daisies and penstemon. I plan on planting a clematis next to the mail box and maybe some Lucerna blue eyed grass at the very front area of the mailbox (against the sidewalk) but am open to other options.

I am including a picture of the whole front yard so that you all can get an idea of what would look good with the rest. My house faces north but the new bed is in full sun except for the area directly in front/next to the pine tree that still gets about 6 good hours of sun.

Any suggestions?
{{gwi:217645}}

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Comments (5)

linlily
10 years ago
As of now, it looks like I lost my Pink Double Delight. It is the only one of the newer Cone Flower varieties that I have lost, and I successfully grow many that other Gardenweb member have lost. I grew it last summer and it did very well so I'm surprised that it's gone. Good luck with yours and I hope they do well for you.

Linda
trovesoftrilliums
10 years ago
How about the pink coneflowers near the blue salvia with the lime yellow ones near the pink ones, but on the side opposite the dogwood? Then back up the lime ones with agapanthus or whatever other plants you might include.
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gardenweed_z6a
10 years ago
A couple (hopefully helpful) comments:

One concern with the coconut lime coneflower is that it might get washed out being next to the dogwood.

The dogwood typically blooms early in the season--mine is blooming now--but in my experience coneflowers generally don't start blooming until mid-summer which renders moot your concern they'll be in bloom simultaneously.

A second comment is only to share that my experience with some Echinacea cultivars is that they're not as hardy/sturdy/reliable as the garden nurseries' hype might lead you to believe. In my garden the only truly reliable coneflowers have been the species--Echinacea purpurea--given optimal soil/sun/moisture conditions. While I hesitate to rain on your parade, I've learned to find alternatives that perform better than the primadonnas.

In any case, best of luck!
lola-lemon
10 years ago
I agree the coneflower will be washed by the dogwood- plus I think those dogwoods get really big. Perhaps you have a different dwarf culitvar of some type...but mine are about 7 feet round. It will eat whatever you put near it.

How bout putting one (or two) in the middle of the bed in the first picture. Looks like everything will be done blooming in that bed otherwise so you will have late summer color with it there.

Limelight makes a pretty good sized bush too- roughly the same size. It will also lay it's blooms on anything nearby.

This post was edited by lola-lemon on Wed, May 8, 13 at 19:53
melaroma
Original Author
10 years ago
Lola, I have the ivory halo which has a dwarf habit growing to five feet tall. I have also seen them pruned to be kept at a smaller size. I'm hoping that I gave the limelight enough space especially since it would be hard to move later (fingers crossed). Can you believe that I bought it that big? I felt like I scored big time when I found it :)

Gardenweed, my concern with the coconut lime is that the color of the bloom would be washed out with the light green and white foilage of the v. Dogwood. I did research on the Double Delights and the reviews (some from gardenweb members) were very good. Have you tried this variety? Did they not do well for you? Is there anything special I should do? I really love the flowers on them. I also heard that they are easy to propagate by burying the whole sead head. Any luck with that?

Trovesoft, the problem with planting the pinks next the dogwood and the coconut lime next to the pinks is that the coconut limes are taller than the double delights. I'm afraid that they would not be seen from the street. Maybe I should just take the coconut limes out of the equation. I am thinking though of planting just three double delights in an upside down V then planting two razzmatzz at the back to make an X with a total grouping of five echinaceas. Then maybe planting three agapanthus close by? What do you think?

Linlily, I'm sorry that your double delights died. Did you only have one planted? Maybe you should give it another try? The blooms sure are lovely!