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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThese seven perennial combinations from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) pair color and contrasting forms with a particular growing setting. Choose by the light and moisture in your garden first, then by whether you are planting a border or a pot: the recipes range from sunny, dry sites to shade and moist borders. The ideas were inspired by the first RHS Sandringham Flower Show in 2026.
Start with the growing conditions
A good-looking pairing is only useful if its plants can thrive in the same place. Before choosing a recipe, assess how much direct sun the site gets, whether the soil stays damp or dries out, and whether you are planting in open ground or a container. “Shade” is not a single condition: damp shade and dry shade call for different choices. The RHS advises matching plants to the conditions they naturally suit, since unsuitable plants in shade may flower or fruit poorly and be more prone to problems. See the RHS guide to plants for shade and its advice for damp shade.
The RHS recipes below are design starting points, not a promise that every plant will be hardy or available in every region. Check local nursery guidance and winter requirements before buying, especially for plants the RHS flags as needing protection.
Seven perennial combinations to try
1. Turn up the heat
Plants: Echinacea ‘Hot Summer’, Imperata cylindrica ‘Rubra’, Salvia ‘Royal Bumble’, and Euphorbia × martini ‘Miner’s Merlot’.
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Red and burgundy tones make this a warm, unified palette, while the differences between flower shapes and foliage keep it from looking flat. The RHS suggests it for a sunny spot that can become quite dry, a gravel garden, or pots. It is a useful option where a planting needs to suit a bright, potentially dry position rather than a consistently moist border.
2. Pretty in pink
Plants: Dahlia merckii, Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Lavendelturm’, Achillea millefolium ‘Cerise Queen’ (or ‘Lilac Beauty’), and Brunnera macrophylla ‘Alexanders Great’.
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Pale pink flowers and dark foliage provide the color contrast, while differing leaf shapes add texture. The RHS suggests this combination for shade. Dahlia merckii may need winter protection, so check whether it can overwinter in your local conditions before planting it.
3. A show-inspired scheme
The RHS includes a third combination among its seven show-inspired plantings, but its plant list and design rationale are not established here. Rather than guess at the recipe, consult the full RHS feature for the exact plants and guidance.
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4. Another RHS combination
The fourth scheme is also part of the RHS feature, but its plant list and rationale are not established here. Use the full RHS feature for its exact recipe rather than substituting plants based on appearance alone.
5. Stylish in salmon
Plants: Achillea ‘Lachsschönheit’ (previously known as ‘Salmon Beauty’) and Digitalis purpurea ‘Sutton’s Apricot’.
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This pairing keeps to a salmon-toned palette but contrasts the plants’ flower forms. The RHS recommends it for a moist border with some sun. That combination of moisture and light matters: it is not a recipe for a dry, sunny gravel bed.
6. An iconic duo
Plants: Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and Achillea ‘Terracotta’.
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The RHS pairs these long-flowering perennials for their complementary blue-and-orange colors. It suggests the duo for a border or a container with some sun, offering a compact two-plant scheme when you want color contrast without assembling a longer plant list.
7. Potted perfection
Plants: Oenothera lindheimeri (white gaura), Sanguisorba ‘Tanna’, and Erigeron karvinskianus (Mexican fleabane).
This container recipe uses a thriller, filler, and spiller arrangement: Oenothera provides the upright focal point, Sanguisorba fills the middle, and Erigeron trails over the edge. The RHS recommends a pot in a position that gets some sun.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose a recipe by site
| Scheme | Light and moisture | Where it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Turn up the heat | Sunny; can become quite dry | Gravel garden, border, or pots |
| Pretty in pink | Shade; assess whether it is damp or dry | Shaded planting; check winter protection for Dahlia merckii |
| Combination three | Not stated; see the RHS feature for the recipe | Not stated |
| Combination four | Not stated; see the RHS feature for the recipe | Not stated |
| Stylish in salmon | Moist soil with some sun | Border |
| An iconic duo | Some sun | Border or container |
| Potted perfection | Some sun | Container |
For any shaded site, identify whether the soil is dry or damp before selecting plants; the RHS provides separate guidance because those conditions are not interchangeable. Local climate also affects whether a perennial survives winter, so treat the RHS’s UK-based recommendations as a design reference and check regional hardiness advice.
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