A Fabulous Perennial Planting Idea

Perennial Combinations, Plant Combinations, Spring Borders, Summer Borders

Garden Ideas, Border ideas, Perennial Planting, Perennial combination, Perennial Meadow, Summer Borders, Jerusalem Sage, Phlomis, Piet Oudolf, Nepeta, Catmint, Salvia Mainacht, Panicum, Astrantia

This fabulous perennial planting has been designed by the world acclaimed designer, Piet Oudolf, and is part of his impressive creations in the Walled Garden at Scampston Hall, Yorkshire. Using his technique of naturalized planting which enjoys a long season of interest, his Perennial Meadow is awash with colors and shapes.

Here, the warm-tinted Phlomis russeliana (Jerusalem Sage) mingles beautifully with the purple and blue colors of Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’, the spiky Salvias ‘Mainacht’ and ‘Amethyst’, and with the ruby-red and crimson shades of pincushion-like Knautia macedonica (Macedonian Scabious), Astrantia major ‘Claret’ (Great Masterwort) and Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’ (Plume Thistle). They are underplanted with soft pink Geranium x oxonianum ‘Wargrave Pink’ (Cranesbill).

A relatively low-growing combination of plants that makes the most of a poor soil! Most of these plants are drought tolerant, deer resistant, low maintenance, excellent as cut flowers and real magnets for butterflies and bees. Enjoy!

Garden Information

Hardiness	5 - 7
Heat Zones	5 - 7
Exposure	Full Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Maintenance	Low, Average
Water Needs	Low, Average
Soil Type	Loam, Sand
Soil pH	Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance	Deer
Attracts	Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas	Beds And Borders
Garden Styles	Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow

Plants In This Garden

Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' (Catmint)

Award-winning Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’ (Catmint) is a popular herbaceous perennial noted for its massive lavender-blue blooms on short spikes, atop aromatic, gray-green foliage in early summer, continuing on and off through early fall if spent flowers are regularly removed.

Hardiness	4 - 8
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Well-Drained
Characteristics	Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance	Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil
Attracts	Bees, Butterflies

Salvia x sylvestris 'May Night' (Wood Sage)

One of the earliest hardy Salvia to bloom, multiple award-winner Sage ‘Mainacht’ or ‘May Night’ (Salvia x sylvestris) has been in cultivation for 30 years and has become quite a standard.

Hardiness	4 - 8
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Height	1' - 3' (30cm - 90cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance	Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil
Attracts	Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Salvia nemorosa 'Amethyst' (Sage)

Ready to please the gardener, award-winner Sage ‘Amethyst’ (Salvia nemorosa) is a favorite of many for its unique, glowing purple stems and stunning spikes of rich, lavender-pink flowers, appearing in early summer and lasting throughout the summer. Raised by world-acclaimed designer Piet Oudolf, Salvia ‘Amethyst’ is considered the best pink flowered variety of Salvia

Hardiness	5 - 9
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance	Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil
Attracts	Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Astrantia major 'Claret' (Great Masterwort)

One of the darkest-flowered Astrantias, Astrantia major ‘Claret’ (Masterwort) features dramatic clusters of tiny, deep ruby-red flowers crowded together in a dome-shaped flowerhead, just like pins on a cushion. They are surrounded by an elegant ruff of long papery bracts.

Hardiness	5 - 7
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	10" - 1' (25cm - 30cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Poorly Drained
Characteristics	Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Showy
Tolerance	Deer, Wet Soil
Attracts	Butterflies

Phlomis russeliana (Jerusalem Sage)

Phlomis russeliana, commonly known as Jerusalem Sage or Turkish Sage, brings interest to the garden almost all year round! First, with its originating flower buds and the resultant flowers themselves in summer, then with its distinctive dome-shaped seed heads in fall and winter.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance	Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil
Attracts	Birds, Butterflies

Geranium x oxonianum 'Wargrave Pink' (Cranesbill)

Tough, vigorous, and incredibly pretty, Geranium x oxonianum ‘Wargrave Pink’ is a superb hardy geranium cultivar with luminous, salmon pink to silvery pink, open-faced flowers from late spring to early fall. Flowers are small (1 in. or 2.5 cm) but abundant and rise atop mounds of deeply lobed, medium green leaves. Bushy, compact, and semi-evergreen, this hardy Geranium is reliable, easy to grow, and provides long-lasting color in the garden.

Hardiness	4 - 8
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Showy, Semi-Evergreen
Tolerance	Drought, Deer, Rabbit
Attracts	Butterflies

Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum' (Plume Thistle)

A very desirable garden plant, Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’, commonly known as Plume Thistle, is a tall, branching, upright perennial exhibiting strong, leafless stems with pincushion-like, deep crimson flowers, up to 1 in wide (3 cm), atop a large basal rosette of soft green leaves. A magnet for bees and birds!

Hardiness	4 - 8
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late)
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Showy
Attracts	Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' (Switch Grass)

Sporting one of the best burgundy foliage of all switch grasses, Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ is a deciduous, perennial grass of choice. It forms an erect, compact and narrow clump of steely blue-green foliage in spring, which quickly takes on red tones by early summer and turns violet, purple, burgundy and wine-red by early fall.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Plant type	Ornamental Grasses
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance	Drought, Deer, Dry Soil, Wet Soil
Attracts	Birds, Butterflies

Amsonia tabernaemontana (Blue Star)

Selected by the American Horticultural Society as one of the 75 Great Plants for American Gardens, Amsonia tabernaemontana (Blue Star) is an exceptional perennial with early-season blue flowers, attractive summer foliage, a sturdy habit and golden fall color.

Hardiness	3 - 9
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early), Fall
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics	Showy
Tolerance	Drought, Deer, Clay Soil
Attracts	Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Knautia macedonica (Macedonian Scabious)

Undemanding, Knautia macedonica (Macedonian Scabious) is a clump-forming perennial with masses of deep crimson, pincushion flowers, 1.5 in. across (3-4 cm), that bloom in succession from early summer until fall.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	1' - 3' (30cm - 90cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Well-Drained
Characteristics	Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Showy
Tolerance	Drought, Deer
Attracts	Butterflies

Baptisia australis (False Indigo)

Tough and durable, Baptisia australis (False Indigo) is an upright perennial with a long season of interest. In spring, this native to the North American prairies bears spikes of pea-shaped indigo blue flowers, resembling Lupines.

Hardiness	3 - 9
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early)
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Soil Type	Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Well-Drained
Characteristics	Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance	Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil, Clay Soil
Attracts	Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

How Many Plants Do I Need?

Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas

Baptisia (False Indigo) Astrantia Amsonia (Bluestar) Nepeta (Catmint) Phlomis Geranium (Cranesbill) Salvia (Sage)

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Alternative Plants to Consider

Geranium x oxonianum ‘Claridge Druce’ (Cranesbill)

Salvia x sylvestris ‘Blue Hill’ (‘Blauhugel’ Sage)

Salvia nemorosa ‘Ostfriesland’ (Sage)

Astrantia major ‘Roma’ (Great Masterwort)

Learn About These Genera

Hardy Perennial Salvias (Sage)

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.