I’ve turned into a weird hoarder when it comes to Chartreuse plants in my garden. They have always been a favorite of mine. It only takes a few to make a really big impact so I find myself taking extra efforts to place them in just the right spot. I think harder about where to put Chartreuse than I do any other colored plant – probably because I know it will be draw me in like a kid to an ice cream truck. In my obsessing, I’ve started to develop a bit of preference for a few specific color combos.
What colors go with chartreuse in the Garden?
Chartreuse & Purple Plant Combinations
The idea of a purple and green or yellow (Chartreuse being the sum of these two) color scheme inside my home is something I’d never be tempted towards, but in the garden, it is an all-time favorite. Chartreuse and purple (being opposites on the color wheel) are a dynamic pairing that can swing from being light and airy (as with the combination of the columbine and the foliage of the Sunshine Blue Caryopteris above) or it can be more regal and sumptuous as with the deeply colored purple heucheras (see below – try Heuchera ‘Velvet Night‘ or Heuchera Blackberry Ice ).
Chartreuse & Silver Blue Color Combination
Or consider it with silver blue (just put your hand over the part of the screen where the heuchera is to get the full effect in the image below). The brightly colored leaves of Lime Time Coleus with the blue recalls calming waters and is a soothing and textural combination. You might also get this effect from combining Chartreuse plants with Cape Town Blue Felicia Daisy or Elijah Blue Festuca.
Chartreuse Color Combinations: Try White
Chartreuse and white combinations stay a little closer to my interior wheelhouse – when they are paired, they inevitably give off a calming, cool, and sophisticated vibe. The White Out Rose with its near black leaves becomes fresher and a little less stuffy when the Lime Time Coleus is near.
And I am not sure there is a prettier combination than Chartreuse and the pale blush peach of the roses just before they open. Which brings me to my last combo…
Unexpected Chartreuse & Blush Peach Color Combo
In another area of my garden, a generous planting of Leucanthemum white daisies lends wildness to the garden. They are tamed a bit by the bold Lime Time Coleus leaves, but when the elegant blush-colored iris (I wish I knew the variety – it came with the house) is part of the mix, everything becomes quite serene and fresh. For a similar pairing, try Chartreuse plants with Oso Easy Peachy Cream Roses, or Rainbow Rhythm™ ‘Siloam Peony Daylilies.
This versatile color can also be paired with neutrals like gray or white for a more subtle yet elegant look.
Other Possible Chartreuse Garde Color Combinations
Chartreuse can certainly be paired with other colors. I can hear my mother’s fashion advice from when I was a kid….”Green goes with everything; if Mother Nature can do it, so can you” . True – but I tend to think that some are better than others.
Chartreuse’s vibrant yellow-green hue, pairs beautifully with navy blue for a classic and sophisticated color combination. (See lobelia Midnight blue, Blue Gentiana or bottle gentian, or varieties of salvia or baptisia).
For a more daring look, consider mixing chartreuse with fuchsia (like peonies or a whole variety of other flowers) or turquoise (a little thicker to find, but textural sedum and other succulents are reliably bright blue) for a fun and modern twist.
Do you have a favorite Chartreuse combo? If so, let us hear about it.
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