Bleeding hearts (Dicentra spectabilis) are prized for their soft, fern-like, blue-green foliage. To create a visually engaging tapestry, pair them with plants that offer bold or varied leaf textures. Hostas are an exceptional choice, providing a stunning contrast with their large, often ribbed or corrugated, broad leaves. The wide range of hosta sizes and colors, from deep blue-green to chartreuse and variegated, allows for endless design combinations. Ferns are another natural companion, offering fine, lacy textures that complement rather than compete with the bleeding heart's delicate leaves. Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum), with their silvery-grey and burgundy fronds, add a sophisticated color echo.
A primary consideration when designing with bleeding hearts is their tendency to go dormant and disappear by mid-summer. It is crucial to select companion plants that will fill the void left behind. Astilbes are perfect for this role, as their fluffy, plume-like flowers in shades of pink, red, and white emerge in early to mid-summer, just as the bleeding hearts are fading. Their attractive, fern-like foliage remains attractive throughout the season. Coral bells (Heuchera) are another excellent option, providing a full season of vibrant, colorful foliage in shades of purple, lime green, amber, and silver that persist long after the bleeding hearts have retreated.
While the heart-shaped pink and white flowers of the bleeding heart are the main spring attraction, carefully chosen flowering companions can enhance the color scheme. For a serene, cool-toned palette, combine bleeding hearts with blue-flowering plants like Brunnera macrophylla, especially the 'Jack Frost' variety with its silvery leaves and forget-me-not-like blue flowers. Lungwort (Pulmonaria) also offers clusters of pink and blue flowers alongside spotted foliage. For a brighter, warm-toned contrast, consider the golden yellow flowers of celandine poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), which blooms concurrently and thrives in similar shady, moist conditions.
Utilizing low-growing plants around the base of bleeding hearts helps to unify the garden bed, suppress weeds, and cover the bare ground that may be exposed later in the season. Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) forms a charming carpet of bright green, star-shaped leaves and tiny white flowers in spring. It spreads gently but is easily managed. Epimediums are tough, drought-tolerant ground covers that offer delicate, spider-like flowers in spring and handsome foliage that often develops bronze tints in fall. Both choices create a lush, finished underplanting that highlights the architectural form of the taller bleeding heart.
