Peg: it would depend on the colour of the foliage: I have Diablo which has deep reddish foliage and another ninebark which has lime foliage.

I have Diablo with Ann Folkard a sprawling perennial geranium, I like the color combination of the dark foliage of the ninebark against the magenta flowers and the yellow-green foliage of the geranium. At one time I had Dart's Gold with the clematis Ramona, another nice color combo.

Annette

I paired up my Summer Wine with a Gold Thread Cypress - I know it's not really a bloomer that you're asking for, but the contrast in the textures and the colors seem to work very well indeed.

above ideas are all neat. some additional companions:
daylilies, true red or yellow
fothergilla blue ___
golden cotinus
blue conifers
cornus alba elegantissima or ivory halo
yellow cornus alba

best,
mindy

For P. 'Mindia' (Coppertina ninebark), I've used orange and purple/blue flowering companions. This is a newly renovated area for part sun, so I'm not sure how this will all turn out, but here is my list of companion plants:

- Canna 'Bengal Tiger'
- Croscomia 'Warlhead'
- Aesclepias (butterfly weed)
- Agastache 'Black Adder'
- Purple Siberian iris
- Ironweed (size kept in check by cutting back earlier in season)
- Galliardia 'Fanfare'

Thanks for all the ideas! I have Summer Wine Ninebark. Sorry - I forgot it has other varieties

I am looking for a perennial that would be in front of the ninebark and behind moonbeam coreopsis. So I think it would have to be something upright.

Mine are both 'Coppertina', but I liked it so much that I created an island bed around it. Here is what is in it"

Mums - Bronze and Gold (directly in front)
Echinacea 'Harvest Moon'
Dianthus 'Ideal Select Red'
Daylily 'Stella de Oro'
Geum 'Blazing Sunset'
Alyssum 'Golden Queen'

With the 'Summer Wine' you could use one of the rose colored Echinaceas, such as 'Primadonna' or 'Ruby Star'. Another one that would be upright, and about the right height, in Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella'. An upright Phlox would work too, if you can deal with the possible powdery mildew issues.

Bonnie