I do not think I could have done this on purpose if I tried. I do not try to companion anything, I just plant.
There used to be a spruce right here, placed there by the previous owner for privacy since there's that big picture window facing the road. We're out in the country and when we first moved here, we were in awe of seeing the sun rise. When the tree got bigger it would hide that.
Early one spring, that tree had to go! I think we tried some hydrangea if I remember, but it died. Petunias were planted there and some other brightly colored annuals. Squinneys liked planting sunflowers there, so we let them come up. I put in a creeping phlox.
Then I was introduced to US natives. No more petunias and I yank any squinney plantings as those are not a native sunflower. The phlox was almost a goner, but discovered it is native to the region. I put in Columbine, probably a hybrid. I'll try to get the official native at some point.
Not thinking I put Maximilian Sunflower in this patch, but because of it's ability to spread, I dug it up to give to a friend. Guess what... Maximilian is still there.
Ah, well. I also put Rough Blazingstar and Western Ironweed, mostly for their color, but they attract a mass of pollinators. And lastly, I planted Wild Geraniums in a couple of bare spots.
Why is this my favorite? I like the early blooms of the Phlox and Geraniums. As they fade, the Columbine flowers and with only a short lag time, the Blazingstars and Ironweed show their glory. And really, if I cannot ever get all the Maximilians out, I like the yellow. :)
The only weeding I have to do is early in the season, the massive growth snuffs out everything I don't want. I wish all my other native areas were this easy and this prolific.
If you notice the stripes on the windows and caution tape, that's for the birds.
The tape prevents window strikes and we had nesting Barn Swallows on the porch and the caution tape was to discourage visitors from going to the front door.
