Great Perennial Plants to Grow with Your Favorite Dahlias

Injecting color, drama, and late-summer fireworks in the garden, dahlias look fabulous on their own or combined with other plants. Many are graceful and integrate well into most borders, creating appealing planting combinations and providing interest from mid-summer until the first frost.

Many perennials grow well with them and complement them aesthetically. When selecting perennial plants to grow with your favorite dahlias, you should keep in mind the following:

• Dahlias are heavy feeders and will not bear crowding or pilfering from surrounding plants. Select perennial plants that are well-behaved.
• Choose strong, robust, clump-forming perennials that will fight for their own corner and thrive next to hungry dahlias.
• Dahlias generally grow several feet tall, so their short companion plants should be able to grow in partial shade.
• Favor perennial plants that protect your dahlias from unwanted pests such as slugs, snails, Japanese beetles, and aphids.
  Artemisia deters slugs. Surrounding your Dahlias with a border of Artemisia will keep the devastating slugs away.
  Salvia attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, which in turn eat aphids and beetles.