What To Plant With Lilac Bushes

If you’re wondering what to plant with lilac bushes, you’re on the right track to creating a more beautiful and resilient garden. Companion planting with lilacs can extend your bloom season, attract helpful pollinators, and even help keep pests at bay, making your entire yard healthier.

Lilacs are tough, long-lived shrubs that love full sun and well-drained soil. The best companions will share these preferences without competing too aggressively for water and nutrients. The goal is to choose plants that complement the lilac’s form and flowering time, creating a layered look that has interest from spring through fall.

This list focuses on plants that thrive in similar conditions as your lilac. Think sunny spots with good air circulation and soil that isn’t constantly wet. These partners will help your garden look cohesive.

Classic Flowering Companions

These plants bloom alongside or just after your lilac, creating a spectacular spring show.

Peonies: Their lush, romantic blooms echo the lilac’s season. Both love sun and benefit from similar soil preparation. The peony’s foliage remains attractive after blooming, providing a green backdrop.
Roses: Especially shrub or old garden roses. They share the lilac’s sun requirements and their classic beauty pairs perfectly. The rose bloom time often follows the lilac, extending the display.
Clematis: A vining clematis can be trained to grow through your lilac, adding a second layer of color. Choose a variety that blooms in late spring or summer, like the ‘Jackmanii’.
Foxgloves: Their tall, elegant spires of flowers look stunning behind or beside lilacs. They appreciate the same conditions and add a lovely vertical element.

Bulbs for Early Spring Color

Plant bulbs at the base of your lilac to enjoy color before the lilac even leafs out. They’ll be done blooming by the time the lilac needs more water and nutrients.

Daffodils
Crocus
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)
Tulips (especially perennial or species types)

Foliage and Structural Plants

Not every companion needs to flower. Foliage plants provide texture and color that lasts all season long.

Ornamental Grasses: The fine texture of grasses like Fountain Grass or Blue Fescue contrasts beautifully with the lilac’s broad leaves. They add movement and fall interest.
Hostas: For lilacs in a spot with a bit of afternoon shade, hostas are perfect for the foreground. Their bold leaves cover the sometimes-awkward bare legs of mature lilacs.
Catmint (Nepeta): Forms a soft, flowing mound of grey-green foliage with purple flowers. It’s drought-tolerant, attracts bees, and looks wonderful spilling around the base of a lilac.

Helpful Herbs and Useful Plants

Some plants can actually support your lilac’s health by attracting good insects or improving the soil.

Lavender: Shares the same need for full sun and excellent drainage. Its grey foliage and purple flowers create a harmonious, sensory pairing. It also attracts pollinators from miles around.
Comfrey: This is a dynamic accumulator. Its deep roots pull up nutrients from the subsoil. You can chop its leaves and use them as a nutrient-rich mulch around your lilac (but plant it where you want it to stay, as it can be persistent).
Alliums: Their spherical purple or white flowers look amazing with lilac blooms. Alliums may also help deter certain pests with their strong scent.

Small Trees and Shrubs

For a larger garden bed, consider layering in other woody plants.

Hydrangeas (Paniculata types): Like ‘Limelight’ or ‘Little Lime’. These bloom in mid-to-late summer, long after the lilac is done, ensuring continued interest. They can tolerate similar conditions if the soil is kept moist.
Japanese Maple: A small, delicate Japanese maple planted nearby offers stunning contrast in leaf shape and color, especially in the fall.

What to Avoid Planting Near Lilacs

Just as important as knowing what to plant is knowing what to avoid. Lilacs have a few key dislikes.

Water-Hogging Plants: Avoid plants that need constant moisture, like astilbe or many ferns. They will encourage root rot in your lilac.
Aggressive Spreaders: Mint or some types of bamboo can quickly overtake the area, competing too fiercely with the lilac’s roots.
Large Trees with Dense Shade: Maples, pines, or other trees that will cast deep shade or have very thirsty surface roots will make your lilac struggle and bloom poorly.

How to Plant Companions Around Your Lilac

Follow these simple steps for the best success. Its important to give new plants a good start without disturbing the lilac’s established roots too much.

Step 1: Assess the Site

Look at how much sun the area gets. Full sun (6+ hours) is ideal for most lilac companions. Check the soil drainage by digging a small hole and filling it with water; if it drains within an hour, you’re good.

Step 2: Prepare the Planting Hole

Dig a hole for your new plant that is twice as wide as its root ball but no deeper. Avoid major digging directly under the lilac’s dripline where the roots are dense; instead plant slightly beyond it.

Step 3: Amend and Plant

Mix some compost into the soil you removed. Place the new plant in the hole so the top of its root ball is level with the ground. Backfill with the amended soil and pat it down gently.

Step 4: Water and Mulch

Water the new plant thoroughly. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch (like wood chips or shredded bark) around both the new plant and the lilac, keeping it a few inches away from the stems. This helps retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Caring for Your Lilac and Its Friends

Once established, this garden community will be fairly low-maintenance. A few key practices will keep everything thriving.

Watering: Water new companions regularly for their first season. Mature, drought-tolerant plants like lilac, lavender, and catmint will only need extra water during prolonged dry spells.
Pruning: Deadhead your lilac after blooming to encourage next year’s flower buds. Prune out any dead or crossing branches in late winter. Trim back companions as needed to maintain the desired shape and size.
Feeding: In early spring, apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer or a layer of compost around the base of your plants. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can promote leaf growth over flowers on your lilac.

Design Tips for a Beautiful Layout

Think about height, color, and bloom time when arranging your plants. A good design feels intentional and balanced through the seasons.

Place taller plants like foxgloves or ornamental grasses behind the lilac, or to one side if it’s a focal point.
Use mid-height plants like peonies, roses, or catmint in the middle layer.
Plant low-growing bulbs, hostas, or creeping thyme at the front to edge the bed.
Consider color harmony. Whites, purples, blues, and pinks often look lovely with lilac’s purple, but a splash of contrasting yellow (from daylilies later in summer) can be striking.

FAQ: Companion Planting with Lilacs

Can I plant hydrangeas with lilacs?

Yes, but choose panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata). They are more sun and drought tolerant than bigleaf hydrangeas. Ensure the soil is kept consistently moist for the hydrangea, especially while it gets established.

What perennials go well with lilacs?

Many perennials are excellent choices. Reliable options include daylilies, coneflowers, salvia, and bearded iris. All enjoy sunny conditions and provide color after the lilac’s bloom fades.

Should you put mulch around lilac bushes?

Yes, a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch is beneficial. It conserves moisture, keeps roots cool, and suppresses weeds. Just keep it a few inches away from the main stem to prevent rot.

What ground cover is good under lilacs?

For sunny spots, consider creeping phlox, sedum, or woolly thyme. For areas with a bit more shade, try sweet woodruff or barren strawberry. These cover bare soil without needing much water.

Choosing the right companions for your lilac bushes turns a single flowering shrub into a dynamic garden scene. By selecting plants that enjoy the same growing conditions, you create a supportive ecosystem that reduces maintenance and increases beauty. With these ideas, you can plan a garden that celebrates your lilac in every season and provides enjoyment for years to come. Remember to consider each plants needs for light and water, and don’t be afraid to experiment to find the combinations you love most.