I have a crape myrtle under a weeping cherry (it was there first). The cherry is now some l5' tall, the crape myrtle has grown and is stretching for light. It blooms above and through the weeping cherry. Both seem to be doing fine!

I use a classic combo that I first saw in a White Flower Farm catalogue, which is various cultivars of narcissus followed by daylilies. In this bed I have many other flowers as well, but this is the "backbone" so to speak.

Clematis with just about anything!

Clematis Comtesse de Bouchard with Purple Sand Cherry (Prunus cistena)

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Clematis Etoile Violette & New Dawn Rose
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Sweet Autumn Clematis with annual Mandavilla Vine (this was an accident, one stem from the Mandavilla in a nearby pot grew into the Sweet Autumn Clematis).
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I have a really nice, purely accidental combo that I can do absolutely nothing about - even if I wanted to.

As you know, Baptisia australis is pretty much impossible to move once established. I've had mine for years and years and the clump is huge. Dicentra spectabilis has attained the status of almost weed-like in my garden since it self sows so much and the seedling grow so fast. Anyway, the Dicentra seeded itself right in the middle of the Baptisia. The Dicentra emerges really early in the spring and blooms before the Baptisia is barely poking out of the ground. By the time the Baptisia is well underway, the Dicentra is done blooming and the Baptisia covers it completely. It would be impossible to separate the two at this point, but I don't want to. It's a very efficient use of space IMO.

Kevin

Thank you all for showing me your companion plantings. I really appreciate the tips. I will be idea stealing them for sure. LOL

leslie, I have a sand cherry and have planted a clematis next to it I like your clematis choice better. I will have to order that one it looks beautiful with the sand cherry. Can you tell me what months Comtesse de Bouchard blooms.

Comtesse is classified (per my garden chart, information taken from plant label) as a Late Large Flowering clem, with mid to late summer bloomtime. Mine starts blooming in late June (this year when everything bloomed early) to as late as early/mid July & blooms for about a good month. It does put out some very moderate rebloom for me, mostly I think on maturing stems.

It is a bit heavy for the Sand Cherry which has a very open growth pattern. I have it planted about 2 feet from the base of the trunk on a small plant trellis and let it grow into the tree, occasionally having to tuck in a strand or two, but doing nothing much else to it. I use a little fertilizer on it once in spring if I get around to it. The clematis is at least 8 years old.

Leslie: WOW. Thanks- nice way to start the day.
Renee

Thank you for the info Leslie. I know this was a strange garden year I had things that bloomed extremely early too.