Low Care Combo with Great Foliage and Spring to Fall Blooms

Sambucus 'Black Lace', a selected variety of elderberry with deeply dissected foliage reminiscent of a Japanese maple, is an attractive addition to the garden from spring to killing frost; but is especially striking in spring when masses of pink blooms are set against dark foliage. By summer the Joe Pye weed, a towering perennial with dark stems that pick up the foliage color of the Sambucus, is topped by pink blooms that are a magnet for bees, butterflies and pollinators. Meanwhile, Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' holds down the ground plane with wisps of rich green foliage until late summer when it erupts onto the scene, stealing the show with frothy plumes that catch the light and wave in the breeze.

Growing Conditions

Zone: 5, 6, 7, 8
Exposure: Afternoon Sun, Full Sun, Part Sun
Water Needs: Drought-tolerant, Low

Design Considerations

Style: Cottage, Naturalistic, Northwest Eclectic
Features: Fabulous Foliage, Flower Fest, Attracts Pollinator, Wildlife Friendly
Focus: Mixed Border, Pleasing Seasonal Flow
Seasons of Interest: Summer, Late Spring / Early Summer, Fall, Pleasing Seasonal Changes, Three Seasons of Interest

Care and Maintenance


Maintenance Level: low



Plants In this Combo