What to Plant with Asiatic Lily: A Guide to Stunning Companions

Asiatic lilies are a beloved flower known for their vivid colors and elegant trumpets that add captivating beauty to gardens in summer, But what should you plant with asiatic lilies to help them thrive while creating stunning displays?

Choosing suitable companion plants is key. The right neighbors enhance asiatic lilies’ attributes, fill in spaces between their upright form, and evolve the arrangement throughout the seasons. This guide will overview the best annuals, perennials, bulbs, grasses, shrubs and more to complement asiatic lilies beautifully.

Factors for Selecting Asiatic Lily Companions

When selecting companion plants for asiatic lilies, keep these factors in mind:

• Sun Exposure Most asiatic lilies need full sun to perform their best Choose companion plants that also thrive in full sunlight

• Bloom Time Pick plants whose peak bloom time contrasts with early-to-mid summer asiatic lilies to provide ongoing color

• Height: Choose shorter companions under 3 feet tall so as not to hide the showcase lily blooms.

• Spread: Avoid aggressive spreaders that could overtake lilies. Select compact growers that won’t encroach on their space.

• Water Needs: Lilies prefer consistently moist soil. Companions should have similar watering needs.

• Colors: Complementary or contrasting flower colors create appealing combinations.

Selecting plants suited to lilies’ needs and growth habit results in cohesive, low-maintenance displays.

Eye-Catching Annuals

Annuals are optimal pairings with asiatic lilies since they last just one growing season, allowing you to refresh the arrangement each year.

• Marigolds – Shorter marigold varieties like French marigolds make excellent companions. Their brightly colored blooms contrast beautifully with asiatic lilies.

• Dianthus – With frilly flowers in white, pinks, reds, and purples, dianthus is a lovely accent plant. Low-growing varieties work best.

• Cornflower – Brilliant blue cornflower blossoms shine against the bold asiatic lily blooms. Allow reseeding for easy repeats.

• Zinnias – Low-growing zinnia varieties under 2 feet tall add pops of color while fitting compactly into the arrangement.

Perennials for Long Season Interest

These perennials offer evolving beauty over the entire growing season:

• Salvia – With spires of blue, violet, or red flowers, salvia makes a striking contrast. The vertical form accents the asiatic lily shape.

• Daylilies – Early to late blooming daylilies ensure ongoing color before and after lily season with harmonious colors.

• Siberian Iris – Iris flowers coincide with asiatic lilies to extend the floral display. The slender leaves contrast nicely.

• Coral Bells – Dainty coral bells foliage fills space below lilies nicely. Pink or white bell-like blooms add charm.

• Garden Phlox – Flowering mid to late summer, phlox picks up where asiatic lilies leave off, providing color continuity.

• Bee Balm – With shaggy flower clusters in pink, red or purple, bee balm is a favorite pollinator plant pairing beautifully with lilies.

• Gayfeather – Towering spires of gayfeather rise above lilies, creating vertical contrast. Butterflies love their nectar-rich blooms.

Ornamental Grasses for Structure

Ornamental grasses make excellent companions for lilies, providing movement and stabilizing structure:

• Fountain Grass – Graceful, mounding fountain grass offers soft texture and blonde seed head plumes.

• Dwarf Maiden Grass – Compact size, blue-gray foliage, and delicate pink blooms give this grass year-round appeal beside lilies.

• Tufted Hair Grass – Delicate, emerald tufted hair grass forms neat domes or flowing groundcover around lilies with minimal upkeep.

• Purple Moor Grass – Stunning wine-purple foliage makes a dramatic backdrop for asiatic lilies, especially pinks, whites, and reds.

• Variegated Japanese Sedge – Bright yellow and green striped leaves brightly contrast lilies. It stays compact and dense.

Low-Growing Groundcovers

These groundcovers fill space around lilies without overwhelming them:

• Creeping Phlox – A carpet of colorful phlox blooms beneath lilies in spring before the lilies emerge. Evergreen foliage provides year-round interest.

• Candytuft – Mounds of white or pastel candytuft blossoms complement asiatic lilies nicely. Allow some reseeding for easy replenishment.

• Soapwort – Soapwort’s dark green foliage hugs the ground below lilies. Pink blooms add summer charm and attract butterflies.

• Snow-in-Summer – White snow-in-summer forms a mat of grey-green foliage covered in delicate white blooms, wonderfully contrasting lilies.

• Thyme – Fragrant carpets of thyme provide sturdy evergreen coverage. Bees adore their nectar-rich purple or pink flowers.

Set Off Lilies with Shrubs

Bushes and shrubs make excellent backdrops for asiatic lilies:

• Barberry – Compact barberry shrubs with tiny colored leaves offer stellar contrast. Match barberry colors with your lily hues.

• Boxwood – Neat rounded boxwood forms structured evergreen edging or hedging, setting off colorful lilies beautifully.

• Spirea – With plumes of white or pink blooms, spirea blooms alongside asiatic lilies, creating volume in the garden bed.

• Potentilla – Fluffy shrubby cinquefoil flowers alongside lilies in hot yellows, oranges, reds, pinks, and whites depending on variety.

• Rosemary – Upright rosemary makes a fragrant backdrop for lilies. The blue or white flowers attract pollinators. It appreciates good drainage like lilies.

• Dwarf Conifers – Evergreens like dwarf mugo pine and cypress provide year-round green structure and height contrast.

Fill Empty Spaces Quickly with Annual Filler

These fast-growing annuals quickly fill gaps between emerging lilies:

• Alyssum
• Baby’s breath
• Calendula
• Cleome
• Cosmos
• Geranium
• Lobelia
• Marigold
• Nasturtium
• Petunia
• Salvia
• Verbena
• Zinnia

Allow Bulbs to Naturalize Around Lilies

Let these spring and summer bulbs set down permanent roots around lilies:

• Alliums
• Anemones
• Crocosmias
• Dahlias
• Galanthus
• Gladioli
• Iris
• Liatris
• Ranunculus

The versatility of asiatic lilies allows you to get very creative with combinations. Start with a few companion plant suggestions that complement your lilies, then build up the arrangement over successive seasons as you see what thrives. With mindful plant selections, you can create stunning displays with long-lasting curb appeal requiring minimal upkeep.

General Tips for Growing Asiatic Lilies

Follow these tips to help your asiatic lilies thrive:

• Plant bulbs in fall in well-draining soil enriched with compost. Choose a spot with full sun to light shade.

• Space bulbs 8-12 inches apart and cover with 2-4 inches of soil depending on bulb size. Plant the bulbs pointy side up.

• Water lilies regularly to keep soil moist but not soggy. Add 2-3 inches of mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

• Apply a balanced fertilizer when bulbs start sprouting in spring and again after blooming finishes.

• Remove spent flowers but leave the stems intact until they brown to nourish the bulbs for next year’s blooms.

• In fall, cut back dead stems and leaves. Cover beds with mulch after first frost.

• Divide crowded clumps every 3-5 years after foliage dies back to rejuvenate bulbs.

With the right companion plants, asiatic lilies will thrive and evolve into captivating displays year after year. Experiment with annuals, perennials, bulbs, grasses and shrubs to find your perfect plant pairings. Pay attention to bloom time, height, color and growth needs to create cohesive arrangements. With a little TLC and creativity, you can enjoy stunning, low-maintenance asiatic lily combinations.

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