If you have a shady spot in your garden that needs life, liriope is a fantastic choice. Finding the right liriope companion plants can turn that dim area into a lush, textured border you’ll enjoy all year.
This tough, grass-like perennial is a workhorse in the shade. It offers evergreen foliage, spikes of late-season flowers, and a neat, clumping habit. But the real magic happens when you pair it with other shade-loving plants. The right combinations create depth, contrast, and a succession of interest that makes your garden feel complete.
Liriope Companion Plants
Choosing companions for liriope isn’t just about what survives in the shade. It’s about creating a community of plants that support and highlight each other’s best features. We’ll look at plants that complement its form, color, and growing needs.
First, let’s quickly understand liriope itself. Knowing its characteristics helps you make perfect pairing decisions.
Liriope Basics:
Types: You’ll mainly find two types: Liriope muscari (big blue lilyturf), which forms tight clumps, and Liriope spicata (creeping lilyturf), which spreads more agressively as a ground cover. For borders, L. muscari is often preferred.
* Foliage: Strappy, arching leaves that are often evergreen. Colors range from deep green to variegated cream-and-green stripes.
* Flowers: Produces upright spikes of tiny purple, violet, or white flowers in late summer to early fall, when many shade plants are fading.
* Conditions: Thrives in partial to full shade, tolerates a wide range of soils (but prefers well-drained), and is drought-tolerant once established.
Now, let’s get into the best plant partners for your shady border.
Foliage Friends: Plants for Textural Contrast
Since liriope has a very specific, grassy leaf shape, pairing it with plants that have dramatically different leaves creates instant visual appeal. This approach ensures your border looks good even when nothing is in bloom.
Hostas are the classic partner. Their broad, often heart-shaped leaves provide a wonderful foil to liriope’s slender blades.
* Choose hostas with blue or gold tones to play off green liriope.
* Variegated hostas look stunning next to solid green ‘Big Blue’ liriope.
* Plant hostas in front or behind liriope clumps, using the liriope almost as an edging or a mid-border anchor.
Ferns add a soft, feathery texture that liriope lacks. Their delicate fronds seem to float above the more substantial liriope clumps.
* Japanese Painted Fern offers silver and burgundy hues.
* Autumn Fern provides coppery new growth that turns green, great for seasonal color.
* Lady Fern has a bright green, lacy appearance that lightens up dark corners.
Heuchera (Coral Bells) is a superstar for color and form. Its ruffled, scalloped leaves come in shades of purple, lime, silver, and deep burgundy.
* A purple heuchera next to green liriope makes both colors pop.
* Lime green heuchera can brighten a deep shade border fronted by liriope.
* They share similar soil and light requirements, making them easy-care neighbors.
Hellebores provide bold, leathery, evergreen leaves that are divided into multiple leaflets. This creates a complex texture against liriope’s simplicity.
* Hellebore foliage is attractive year-round.
* Their early spring flowers appear when the garden is just waking up.
* They enjoy the same shady, well-drained conditions.
Flowering Partners for Seasonal Color
While liriope blooms in late summer, you can use other plants to ensure color throughout the growing season. This creates a border that constantly changes and evolves.
Astilbe sends up beautiful, feathery plumes in early to mid-summer, just before liriope flowers. Their fine texture contrasts with liriope’s solid spikes.
* Colors include pink, red, white, and lavender.
* They prefer moist soil, so if your shade is on the drier side, ensure you water them regularly.
* The fern-like astilbe foliage continues to look nice after blooming.
Hydrangeas (especially the bigleaf and oakleaf types that tolerate shade) make excellent backdrop companions.
* Their large, showy flower heads in summer provide a big impact.
* The bare lower stems of hydrangeas can be cleverly concealed by plantings of liriope in front.
* Oakleaf hydrangea’s fall foliage color and exfoliating bark add winter interest.
Hardy Geraniums (Cranesbill) spill and mound gracefully, softening the edges of liriope clumps. They often have a long blooming period in late spring to early summer.
* Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is famous for its long season of blue flowers.
* They can fill in spaces between liriope plants, suppressing weeds.
* Their lobed leaves offer another interesting leaf shape.
Pulmonaria (Lungwort) is a triple-threat companion. It has spotted foliage, early spring flowers, and it thrives in shade.
* Flowers often start pink and turn blue, giving a two-tone effect.
* The silvery spots on the leaves reflect light in dark areas.
* It goes dormant in hot summers, just as liriope is reaching its peak.
Structural Companions: Adding Height and Form
To keep a border from looking flat, incorporate plants with different heights and growth habits. Liriope is primarily a low to mid-border plant, so think about what goes behind and in front of it.
Small Shrubs provide the “bones” of the border.
* Azaleas & Rhododendrons: Their spring bloom is spectacular, and their evergreen structure gives winter form. Liriope planted at their feet hides their leggy bases.
* Japanese Maple (Dwarf varieties): The fine, dissected leaves and elegant form of a dwarf maple create a beautiful focal point. Liriope planted below complements without competing.
* Boxwood: A neatly trimmed boxwood sphere or hedge paired with the softer liriope creates a formal yet natural look.
Ornamental Grasses for dappled shade can echo liriope’s grassy theme but on a larger scale.
* Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass): Its flowing, golden or variegated forms cascade beautifully. It’s more delicate than liriope, creating a lovely contrast.
* Carex (Sedge): Many sedges thrive in shade and offer fine textures and colors, from orange to blue-green.
Ground Covers to Weave It All Together
Use low-growing plants to fill in gaps, creating a seamless tapestry. These plants help connect your liriope clumps to their companions.
Ajuga (Bugleweed) has glossy, often bronze or purple leaves and short spikes of blue flowers in spring.
* It spreads quickly to form a dense mat.
* The leaf color contrasts wonderfully with green or variegated liriope.
Sweet Woodruff is a charming, low-growing plant with whorls of bright green leaves and tiny white spring flowers.
* It loves deep shade and moist soil.
* It gives a light, airy feel and a lovely scent when brushed against.
Lamium (Dead Nettle) offers silver-marked leaves and persistent flowers in pink, white, or purple.
* It’s very tough and adaptable.
* The silver foliage brightens dark areas and highlights the green of liriope.
Designing Your Liriope Border: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you have a list of plants, let’s put it all together. Planning is key to a border that looks intentional and thrives.
Step 1: Assess Your Site.
Look at your shady border. How many hours of sun does it really get? Is the soil damp or dry? Is it morning or afternoon sun? This will determine your final plant choices. True deep-shade plants won’t do well even in bright morning light sometimes.
Step 2: Create a Layout.
Sketch a simple diagram. Remember the basic rule: place taller plants in the back, mid-height in the middle, and shorter ones in front. Since liriope is often used as an edging or mid-border plant, place it accordingly.
* Back of Border: Hydrangeas, dwarf shrubs, tall ferns.
Mid-Border: Hostas, taller heuchera, astilbe, clumps of Liriope muscari.
Front of Border: Lower heuchera, ajuga, sweet woodruff, Liriope spicata as a ground cover.
Step 3: Consider Color and Texture.
Think beyond flowers. Use foliage color to create themes.
* Cool & Serene: Combine green liriope with blue hostas, silver lamium, white astilbe, and ferns.
* Warm & Vibrant: Pair variegated liriope with gold hostas, orange-toned hakonechloa, and purple heuchera.
* Year-Round Interest: Mix evergreen liriope with hellebores, boxwood, and ornamental grasses that hold their form in winter.
Step 4: Planting for Success.
* When to Plant: Early fall or spring are ideal, giving plants time to establish roots without summer heat stress.
* How to Plant: Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Gently loosen the roots, place the plant in the hole, and backfill with native soil mixed with a little compost. Water thoroughly.
* Spacing: Give liriope and its companions room to reach their mature size. Crowding leads to competition and disease. Refer to plant tags for specific spacing.
Step 5: Ongoing Care.
* Watering: Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season. Once established, most of these plants are quite drought-tolerant, but they’ll look better with occasional deep watering during dry spells.
* Mulching: Apply a 2-3 inch layer of shredded bark or leaf mulch. This conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and keeps roots cool. Keep mulch away from plant crowns to prevent rot.
* Pruning Liriope: The best time to cut back liriope is in late winter or very early spring, before new growth starts. Use sharp shears or a mower set high to remove the old, tattered foliage. This makes way for fresh new leaves. You can deadhead the flower spikes after they fade in fall if you prefer a tidier look, but it’s not necessary.
Common Problems and Solutions
Even the best-planned garden can have issues. Here’s what to watch for in your liriope border.
Poor Flowering:
If your liriope isn’t blooming well, it might be getting to much shade. While it tolerates deep shade, it often flowers more prolifically with a few hours of dappled sunlight. It could also be due to excess nitrogen fertilizer, which promotes leaf growth over flowers.
Crowding and Competition:
Over time, vigorous companions like hostas or ferns can crowd out liriope. Every few years, you may need to divide and replant to maintain balance. Early spring is a good time for dividing most perennials.
Slugs and Snails:
These pests love the damp, shady environment and can chew holes in hostas, heuchera, and even liriope.
* Use organic slug bait.
* Set out beer traps.
* Encourage natural predators like birds and frogs.
Winter Damage:
The evergreen leaves of liriope can get brown and battered by winter winds and cold, especially in colder zones.
* Leaving the foliage uncut over winter actually provides some protection to the crown.
* The late-winter pruning described above will remove this damage and refresh the plant.
FAQ About Liriope and Companion Planting
What grows well with liriope?
Many shade plants grow well with liriope. Excellent companions include hostas, ferns, heuchera, astilbe, hellebores, and small shrubs like azaleas. The key is choosing plants that enjoy similar light and soil conditions.
Where is the best place to plant liriope?
The best place to plant liriope is in partial to full shade, in well-drained soil. It works perfectly in shady borders, as an edging along walkways, on slopes for erosion control, or under trees where grass struggles to grow.
What should I not plant next to liriope?
Avoid planting liriope next to aggressive, spreading plants that might overwhelm it, like some types of mint or gooseneck loosestrife. Also, avoid sun-loving, drought-tolerant plants like lavender or sedum, as their needs are incompatible with liriope’s preference for shade and moderate moisture.
Does liriope prefer sun or shade?
Liriope prefers shade. It thrives in partial to full shade conditions. While some varieties can tolerate morning sun, especially in cooler climates, strong afternoon sun will often scorch its leaves and stress the plant.
How do you keep liriope looking good?
You keep liriope looking good by providing it with the right location (shade, well-drained soil), cutting back the old foliage in late winter, and dividing overgrown clumps every few years to maintain vigor. Occasional watering during extreme drought helps, too.
Creating a beautiful shady border with liriope at its heart is a rewarding project. By selecting the right companion plants for texture, color, and structure, you build a layered, resilient garden that provides interest across all seasons. Start with a plan, choose plants that share liriope’s love for shaded spots, and enjoy the process of watching your garden community grow together. The result will be a lush, low-maintenance retreat that feels both natural and thoughtfully designed.