Companion planting with hydrangeas involves selecting plants that share similar growing conditions and create a harmonious, layered aesthetic. The goal is to build a supportive plant community that enhances the beauty of the hydrangea while promoting overall garden health.
Hydrangeas provide large, bold leaves and rounded, mophead flowers. To contrast this form, we recommend plants with fine, delicate, or strappy foliage. Ferns, such as the Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum) or the delicate Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum), offer a lacy texture that contrasts beautifully with the hydrangea's substantial leaves. Ornamental grasses, like Hakonechloa (Hakone grass) or Carex (Sedge), introduce a soft, flowing element and movement to the garden bed, creating a dynamic interplay with the hydrangea's static, rounded shape.
Since many hydrangeas bloom from mid-summer into fall, it is strategic to plant companions that flower before the hydrangea's show begins. This ensures continuous color in the garden. Spring-blooming bulbs like Tulips and Daffodils emerge early, providing a vibrant display before the hydrangea canopy fills in. After they bloom, their dying foliage is hidden by the expanding hydrangea leaves. Early summer perennials like Peonies or Bearded Irises also provide a spectacular show that gracefully hands the flowering baton to the hydrangeas as their season concludes.
Hydrangeas, especially the Bigleaf (Hydrangea macrophylla) and Oakleaf (Hydrangea quercifolia) types, thrive in partial shade and have shallow, fibrous root systems. They benefit from companions that tolerate similar light conditions and do not compete aggressively for root space. Hostas are an excellent choice, available in a vast array of sizes, and leaf colors ranging from blue-green to gold and variegated white. Their dense foliage provides excellent ground cover, helping to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds. Heuchera (Coral Bells) is another superb partner, offering stunning foliage in shades of purple, silver, and lime green that complements every hydrangea color.
While hydrangeas are deciduous and lose their leaves in winter, evergreen companions provide crucial structure and color during the dormant season. Small to medium-sized shrubs like Boxwood (Buxus) can be planted behind or alongside hydrangeas to provide a formal, green backdrop that makes the hydrangea's summer flowers pop. For acidic soils that support blue hydrangeas, Azaleas and Rhododendrons are natural companions, sharing the same need for moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil and offering spectacular spring blooms before the hydrangeas take center stage.
