More Partners for Golden Alexander
In a recent post I noted that ‘Walker’s Low’ Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii) combines nicely with Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea).
Walking around the garden today I noticed that the same could be say for Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’.
S. nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ would serve equally well. The Salvias and Catmints both flower on spikes and have similar colors, though the Salvias are more upright.
OK, so I already showed you Golden Alexander with ‘Walker’s Low’ Catmint. But how about Golden Alexander with ‘Walker’s Low’ and an Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale)?
Actually, I had forgotten all about this Poppy, which I had planted in a random act of gardening last fall. But when I saw it, I had to give myself a smack: why hadn’t I put a Poppy or two (or three) in the far corner of the Driveway Border, with the ‘Six Hills Giant’ Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii). Wouldn’t it give this corner of the garden an incredible boost of energy?
Oh, why does my mind work so slowly? I’ve seen Poppies used this way in a number of public gardens – but I never made the connection to this corner of my own. I do have some orange poppies more towards the center of this border, but they bloom too early to complement ‘Six Hills Giant’.
That’s all for now.
gardeninacity 
Lovely combination!
Thanks.
Your post is very timely as I am trying to find a substitute/replacement for the marauding Geranium “Jolly Bee” AKA “Roxanne” in my front garden beds. Although I’m hoping to find something suitable with a very similar look to the geranium, I’m considering both Nepeta and Salvia (and Veronica and Teucrium, too).
I don’t have much experience with Veronica and Teucrim. Nepeta and Salvia are pretty easy as long as they have sun and not too much moisture.
My golden alexander has happily taken over one of my flower beds. It has an incredibly long bloom season here so I have it paired with wild indigo in early spring, butterfly weed, rudbeckia and gaillardia for summer. I do love your blue and yellow combo. I’ve never had luck growing oriental poppies so bravo to you! You can always add more for next year. This is why our gardens are always a work in progress!
They have a long bloom season here as well – but not enough for Rudbeckia or Butterflyweed.
I would have poppies poppin everywhere if I could just get them to grow. They are so cheerful and colorful. I just love them. I think I will go sprinkle some Golden Alexander seeds by my Catmint. A good idea thanks.
You’re welcome!
Next year!
Yup!
Some of the best combinations I’ve had in my garden were ones totally unplanned. Thanks for serendipity.
Serendipity is essential to gardening.
Those poppies will look great with the Catmint. I think figuring out the colors is sort of like painting. It doesn’t necessarily happen right away. So plant the poppies for next year, and you’ll have more blog fodder when you show us. We will drool ’cause the colors will pop!
That’s the plan!
Gardens evolve. For me that was always a large part of the fun.
Agreed.
Just loving your blue and yellow combinations….an all time favourite of mine. As for that poppy, well, she is beautiful and striking….you and me both though re retrospective thinking. I do that every time I walk into the garden.xxx
You’ve just reminded me of a poppy that I planted in our front walkway several years ago and it’s never bloomed. Each year I think that I should move it to a location that gets more sun and then I completely forget. We are once again in the thick of things this year so I have a feeling it will end up slipping through the cracks again.
Hard for the busy gardener to not forget a few things they meant to get to.
At least you remembered putting in the poppy and it wasn’t another episode of sleep-planting.
True.
For some reason yellow and blue/purple always go well together, I have ended up with combination a few times in the garden and I think it was done subconsciously.
Subconscious plant combinations – could be a new form of therapy!
I like that idea … Catmint & poppies..We saw poppies dotted all around the fields in Italy ..they looked lovely
Yes, I have seen photos like that also. And then there was that scene from A Room With A View.