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Designer Plant Combinations: 105 Stunning Gardens Using Six Plants or Fewer

Scott Calhoun
Storey Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9781603420778
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (12/08)

I decided to read “Designer Plant Combinations” because I recently moved into a new house, just finished putting in a lawn, and now want to do some much needed landscaping.  I am pretty new to the whole gardening thing and had no idea which plants would look good or work well together.  When I saw Scott Calhoun’s book showing 105 gardens each using six plants or less I thought that I would surely get some inspiration, and I was correct!

One of Calhoun’s main goals in writing “Designer Plant Combinations” as stated in the introduction “is to simplify and demystify some of the planting design process by breaking it into comprehensible chunks of two to six plants.  These chunks, while not a full-blown garden design, are a way to start using plants in your garden in an inventive fashion.” (p.11)

The book is divided into six sections:  Perennial Partners, Masses of Grasses, Annual Acquaintances, Accent Plant Associates, Ground Cover Groupies, and Buddies for Woodies.  One of my favorites in the Perennial section is the “Dry-Garden Harmony” which combines ‘PS Harlan’ bush clematis, ‘Maynard’s Gold’ yarrow, Star of Persia, and Alpine Skullcap.  It is such a beautiful combination of blue, yellow, and purples.

Each page in the book gives the plants’ names, pictures, and then a few sentences of information about each including the size that the plant grows to and the hardiness zone that the plant is appropriate for.  On the opposite page is a larger photograph showing the combination design of all of the plants together.  Also included on each page is a designer tip.           

Due to the hardiness zone that I am in (Zone 4, bordering on Zone 3) there are a lot of combinations that I am not able to use, but I liked looking at the pictures and learning about the different plants.  I did find one simple combination that I am definitely going to incorporate into my landscaping and that is the ‘Blue Spire’ Russian Sage and the ‘Coronation Gold’ yarrow.  I love the bright color combination and I especially love that it says that “if there was ever a great combo for the beginning gardener, this is it; success is very nearly guaranteed with these two hardy and reliable plants.” (p. 62)  Just what I need! 

“Designer Plant Combinations” provides many pretty and unique combinations of plants that are not overly complicated.  The photographs are inspiring and the information provided alongside is very useful.  I recommend this book to anyone looking for new planting ideas, both to experienced gardeners and to inexperienced gardeners alike. 

 

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