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Companion Plants
Create a summer bed that packs a punch of colour:
Annual. A charming burst of bright, sapphire blue flowers with white eyes will provide the finishing touch to window boxes and planters.
Lobelia are vigorous plants that flower heavily all season. Their delicate blooms cascade beautifully over the edge of hanging baskets and containers, attracting butterflies and pollinators. Self-cleaning, and low maintenance, lobelia are very easy to grow. Plant in rich, well-draining soil. Water regularly and fertilize containers every two weeks.
Location: Mixed container, Hanging basket
Bloom Period: June to September
Height: 6”, spreading to 12”
Plant Spacing: 6”
Annual. A vining petunia! Fragrant, 2” flowers are bright rose-purple. Amazingly, plants have a climbing growth habit when grown along vertical supports like strings, trellises or a tomato cage. These vines can easily be used to carpet a landscape, or create a curtain of colour by planting them in a large hanging basket.
Petunias are a popular summer annual, prized for their beautiful blooms and versatility in the garden. Attracting pollinators and repelling harmful insects, they are an excellent companion for the vegetable garden. Mounding varieties put on a thrilling display in the landscape, and trailing varieties form a graceful ground cover or hanging basket. Plant in light, fertile, well-draining soil. Water regularly and feed container plants every 1-2 weeks.
Location: Trellis, Ground cover, Hanging basket
Bloom Period: June to September
Height: vines of 6‘
Plant Spacing: 12-18”
Annual. Enormous, fully double, 4” blooms in vibrant pastel yellow. Plants are compact, tidy and sturdy. Heavy-blooming and heat tolerant, this is an outstanding variety for massing in the landscape or making colourful patio containers.
The quintessential companion plant, marigolds are stars in the vegetable garden. They attract bees, butterflies and beneficial predatory insects. They are an excellent companion for tomatoes and potatoes, as they repel harmful insects and soil nematodes. Plant in average soil with even moisture and fertilize every few weeks.
Location: Vegetable garden, Landscape planting, Mixed container
Bloom Period: June to September
Height: 12-14”
Plant Spacing: 6-8”
Annual. Vibrant, fully-double 4-5” flowers in a lovely salmon-pink hue. ‘Magellan’ are early bloomers that flower freely all summer and into the fall for a truly outstanding garden performance. Plants are sturdy and well-branching.
Zinnias will attract an abundance of butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden! Dwarf varieties are beautiful in the landscape or mixed containers, providing a flush of cheerful colour all season. Intermediate and tall varieties are outstanding cut flowers. Give the vegetable garden a boost by planting zinnias near tomatoes, potatoes and beans. Plants are very easy to grow, tolerating both heat and drought once established. For best performance, plant in rich, well-draining soil and water regularly.
Location: Front of border, Mixed container, Landscape planting
Bloom Period: June to September
Height: 14”
Plant Spacing: 12”