Hydrangeas often steal the spotlight in gardens with their bold, large blooms. However, selecting the right companion plants to enhance and balance their beauty can be challenging. Should you pair them with similar flowers like lilacs or butterfly bushes, or opt for something entirely different? To help you make the best choice, experts share their top recommendations for companion plants that will support your hydrangeas in creating a stunning garden display for years to come.
Tips for Choosing Companion Plants for Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are known for their dramatic presence, featuring large, eye-catching blooms and lush foliage. To create a balanced garden, it’s essential to choose plants that complement rather than overpower the hydrangeas. “Look for plant varieties that add to, rather than distract from, the beauty of hydrangea,” advises Katie Tamony, Chief Marketing Officer at Monrovia.
Matching Light and Water Requirements
For a harmonious garden, select companion plants with similar light and water needs as your hydrangeas. Plants that require more sunlight or less water than hydrangeas might struggle to thrive alongside them. Ideal companions are those that prefer partial sun and consistent moisture, or plants that can flourish in the shade while the hydrangeas bask in partial sunlight.
Creating a Cohesive Color Palette
When planning your garden’s color scheme, consider whether you want a monochromatic look or a dramatic contrast. For example, if you have pink hydrangeas, you might choose a companion plant in a lighter or darker shade. Textural differences can also enhance the garden’s appearance—pairing the spiky astilbe with the rounded hydrangea blooms creates an appealing contrast.
Alternatively, a dramatic color pairing can add visual interest. Imagine hot pink petunias against the soft green of a limelight hydrangea.
Considering Size and Scale
The size of your hydrangeas should guide your choice of companion plants. Large hydrangeas, like the oakleaf variety, should be paired with other sizable plants, such as small trees, to maintain a balanced look in your garden.
Follow Your Personal Preferences
While certain plants are known to pair well with hydrangeas, your personal taste should guide your final choice. Lorraine Ballato, a master gardener and author of Success With Hydrangeas, A Gardener’s Guide, emphasizes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so there’s no such thing as a bad pairing.”
Top Companion Plants for Hydrangeas
Astilbe
Astilbe offers textural contrast to hydrangeas with its spiky flowers, which blend beautifully with traditional hydrangea colors like pinks, purples, and blues. Astilbe also thrives in shady spots, making it an ideal companion.
Sun: Partial to full (shade tolerant)
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 3-8
Japanese Forest Grass
This bright green grass with a spiky texture complements hydrangeas, particularly the macrophylla varieties. It’s easy to grow and very resilient.
Sun: Partial
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 4-9
Daylilies
The vibrant colors of daylilies—ranging from red and orange to purple and pink—create a striking contrast with hydrangea hues. They share similar care requirements and bloom alongside hydrangeas in the summer.
Sun: Full or light shade
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 3-10
Hellebore
For extended bloom seasons, choose companion plants like hellebores, which flower earlier than hydrangeas, often from December to April.
Sun: Partial to full shade in summer, sun in winter
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 3-9
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Echinacea is a pollinator favorite with bright, sunny petals that contrast nicely with the globe-like hydrangea blooms. These perennials thrive in sunny spots.
Sun: Full to partial
Water: Prefers drier climates
Zones: 3-8
Ferns
Ferns bring an interesting texture to gardens with hydrangeas, particularly in shady areas. They thrive under hydrangeas or nearby trees.
Sun: Partial
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 2-10
Heuchera
For colorful foliage, heuchera is an excellent choice. Darker varieties, like Sirens’ Song Dark Night, pair well with darker hydrangeas such as Blue Enchantress.
Sun: Partial to full shade in summer, sun in winter
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 4a-9a
Hosta
Hostas are ideal for shady areas and pair beautifully with hydrangea serrata, their small lavender flowers complementing the larger hydrangea blooms.
Sun: Full to partial shade
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 3-9
Phlox Paniculata
Phlox, with its large, clustered blooms, mirrors the look of hydrangeas and comes in similar shades of pink, purple, and white. It pairs well with both daylilies and hydrangeas.
Sun: Full to partial
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 4-8
Clematis
Trellised clematis vines can create a bold backdrop for hydrangeas. With blooms in various shades, clematis adds a unique drama to the garden.
Sun: Full
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 4-9
Dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce
Hydrangeas lose their foliage in winter, so planting an evergreen like dwarf blue spruce nearby ensures winter greenery.
Sun: Full
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 2-7
Petunias
Though often thought of as annuals, petunias can add vibrant color to your garden each year, complementing the long-lasting hydrangea blooms.
Sun: Full
Water: Keep soil moist
Zones: 10-11 (as a perennial)
Other Hydrangeas
For hydrangea enthusiasts, planting multiple varieties can create a stunning garden display. Pairing taller hydrangeas like arborescens with macrophylla can add layers of beauty.
By carefully selecting companion plants that complement your hydrangeas, you can create a balanced and visually striking garden that thrives throughout the seasons.