Veronica ‘Royal Candles’ is a popular garden perennial, admired for its striking, vibrant purple flower spikes. Companion planting, the strategic placement of different plant species near each other, enhances garden beauty and health. This practice leverages beneficial interactions, improving growth, attracting beneficial insects, and creating a more harmonious landscape.
Understanding Veronica ‘Royal Candles’
Veronica ‘Royal Candles’ is a compact, upright speedwell cultivar known for its deep violet-blue flower spikes. It typically reaches 10 to 18 inches in height and spread, forming a tidy, bushy clump. This perennial thrives in full sun, tolerating light shade in hotter climates. It prefers average, well-drained soil and consistent moisture, though established plants show some drought tolerance. Blooming profusely from late spring into mid-to-late summer, and often continuing into fall with deadheading, its glossy, deep green foliage remains attractive.
Key Considerations for Companion Planting
Successful companion planting for Veronica ‘Royal Candles’ requires selecting plants with similar environmental needs. Matching sun exposure, well-drained soil, and watering requirements ensures all plants thrive without competing for resources.
Considering bloom times is important for continuous visual interest. Pairing plants with overlapping or sequential bloom periods creates a dynamic display. Varying plant heights and forms introduces structural diversity, adding depth and dimension. Complementary colors and textures enhance visual appeal, creating harmonious or striking contrasts.
Beyond aesthetics, companion planting attracts pollinators like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, which are already drawn to Veronica. Some companions can also deter unwanted pests, contributing to a healthier garden ecosystem.
Recommended Companion Plants
Several plants pair well with Veronica ‘Royal Candles’, enhancing its vibrant display and thriving in similar conditions.
For contrasting textures and continuous bloom, Coreopsis offers bright yellow, daisy-like flowers that contrast with Veronica’s spires and bloom from summer into fall. Echinacea (coneflower) creates a robust partnership with its bold, daisy-like blooms, providing a strong visual element and attracting pollinators. Shasta Daisy provides crisp white flowers, offering a striking contrast to ‘Royal Candles’ deep violet-blue, blooming from early summer.
For vertical interest and complementary colors, Salvia species, especially those with blue or purple flowers, echo Veronica’s upright form and color. Lavender is an excellent choice, sharing a preference for full sun and well-drained soil, with fragrant, soft purple blooms and silvery foliage creating textural and color harmony. Ornamental grasses, such as ‘Hameln’ dwarf fountain grass, offer fine textures and gentle movement, providing a neutral backdrop that makes Veronica’s colors pop.
Daylilies (Hemerocallis) provide large, trumpet-shaped blooms in a wide array of colors, offering dramatic contrast in form and size while sharing similar growing needs. Sedum varieties, with succulent foliage and late-season blooms, complement Veronica’s spiky form with their mounding habit and provide interest as Veronica’s blooms fade. Yarrow (Achillea) introduces a different flower shape with its flat-topped clusters, available in yellow, red, or pink, providing a textural counterpoint.
Designing with Veronica ‘Royal Candles’ and Companions
When arranging Veronica ‘Royal Candles’ and its companions, planting in drifts or groups creates a more impactful visual statement than scattering individual plants. Massing several ‘Royal Candles’ together accentuates their vibrant color and upright form, simplifying maintenance and creating a cohesive look.
Consider the mature height and spread of each plant for foreground and background placement. ‘Royal Candles’, being compact, works well at the front or middle of borders, or as an edging plant. Taller companions can be placed behind, while lower-growing plants fill spaces in front, creating layers of interest.
Design with color harmonies or contrasts to elevate your garden’s aesthetic. Pair ‘Royal Candles’ with white, yellow, or light pink flowers for vibrant contrast, or use other shades of blue and purple for a serene, monochromatic scheme. Incorporating plants with interesting foliage provides visual appeal even when flowers are not in bloom, contributing to year-round interest.
Regularly deadheading spent Veronica flowers promotes additional blooms and maintains a tidy appearance. Consistent watering, especially during dry periods, helps all plants establish and thrive.