GREEN WITH ENVY: Finding togetherness in your garden

I have explored a number of different plant combinations in my garden, in clients' gardens and meandering through the nursery. Some plants work well together in the garden but some don't.

Plants have to look attractive in a group setting and adapt to the same basic horticultural requirements. Ignoring one or the other will result in a mismatch.

I select plants that thrive in the same light, moisture and soil conditions as well as those that look good together.

How can you tell which plants look good together? Size, shape, growth habit, texture and colour are all factors that determine how two plants will look together.

Practice makes perfect when it comes to plant groupings. Here are tips on how to select plants that will look attractive together:

- One plant should not completely dominate the other plant in size because the smaller plant will not be noticed. This seems obvious, however, sometimes I find that plant growth can be unpredictable (despite what the plant tag states). The issue can be easily corrected by transplanting the small hidden plant to another area in the garden with a different plant partner.

- The plants do not have to be the same size but need to balance one another in terms of scale. For example, you could easily plant one larger perennial surrounded by three medium sized perennials.

- Similar foliage shapes or similar shaped flowers are critical clues for a winning combination. Contrasting foliage shapes or contrasting flowers may or may not be a winning combination and is a more difficult decision unless you have more experience. The final deciding factor depends on what type of look you are creating and your personal taste. The most memorable plant combinations are usually with strong contrasts.

- All plants have unique growth habits: upright, weeping, mounding or creeping. An experienced gardener will often know what the mature perennial will look like when combined with another mature perennial. If you are a novice gardener, you will need to do more research. An upright medium-sized perennial often works well with a number of smaller mounding perennials surrounding it.

- Textures and colours are usually up to personal discretion. I enjoy combining blue with yellow, as well as purple with silver or green. My preference is to contrast textures of different plants, but with some restraint. In formal gardens, I tend to use similar textures for a more harmonious look.

Keep in mind these hints, your creativity and your artistic eye as you layout your garden bed this year.