The Sun-Loving Flower That Grows Beautifully Under A Limelight Hydrangea Tree

If you have a gorgeous limelight hydrangea tree (Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight') growing in your garden, you'll know that it loves the sun and can grow to a height of up to 8 feet. In fact, this is the perfect hydrangea for beginner gardeners because it's easy to take care of and creates an attractive floral display in summer and fall. However, to make a really bright floral statement in your garden, you'll want to plant some sun-loving flowers underneath your hydrangea to make use of the space and add some vibrancy.

A gorgeous flower you should consider is tickseed (Coreopsis spp.). You'll find this pretty flower in a range of different species and cultivars, and the best part is that it absolutely loves the sun and will compliment your limelight hydrangea tree beautifully. It's one of many colorful flowers to consider planting when you have no shade in your yard. Many tickseed species are native to the U.S. and you'll adore their bright daisy-like flowers. Let's discover why these two plants compliment each other so well and the different species of tickseed that you might want to consider growing.

Both limelight hydrangeas and tickseed are sun-lovers, so this makes them perfect companions right from the start. But, you'll find that both these plants will tolerate some afternoon shade as well. They also like a nice loamy soil that is free-draining with a pH range from acid to neutral. You should note that the blooms on your limelight hydrangea will not change color when the soil pH is adjusted, so a pH level of less than 8 is perfect. Both plants also appreciate a decent amount of moisture, therefore your hydrangea and tickseed plants will both appreciate regular watering.

Limelight hydrangeas can be grown in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9, while many tickseed species will happily grow in similar areas. The stunning blooms of limelight hydrangeas first appear in a gorgeous creamy-white and fade to a rich, deep pink. These will blend beautifully with the pretty yellow blooms of the tickseed flowers, but you can turn up the color pop even further by choosing some of the tickseed cultivars or hybrids available in dual tones, such as dark red and yellow like the 'Uptick Red Tickseed' or the 'Uptick Yellow and Red Tickseed'. You might even like to consider growing a few different cultivars of tickseed under your limelight hydrangea to create a stunning color display that will make you smile when the flowers are illuminated by the bright sunlight.

If you want to grow tickseed under your limelight hydrangea, you're spoilt for choice because there are around 80 to 100 species that you can choose from, as well as numerous hybrids. Most of the species are native to Central, North, or South America, and many are perennials that bloom with bright yellow flowers. Ear-leaved tickseed (Coreopsis auriculata) has pretty yellow daisy-like flowers that bloom profusely in spring and summer. The plant is low-maintenance and can spread to create a lovely mass planting over time. Another pretty yellow-flowered tickseed is Coreopsis lanceolata. This species will self-seed in your garden, but you can control the spread by deadheading the spent blooms. If you're looking to make a bright statement, consider largeflower tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora) which has bright yellow flowers that can reach a diameter of 3 inches and produce between seven to 20 petals per bloom.

If you want to play around with some color combinations, take a look at some of the different cultivars that are available, such as Coreopsis 'Mercury Rising,' which has stunning deep red blooms with bright yellow centers. Another attractive cultivar is Coreopsis 'Uptick Cream and Red,' which has delightful blooms with creamy petals, a deep red throat, and bright yellow centers. If you live in a warmer region in USDA hardiness zones 7 through 9, you might want to grow Coreopsis 'Ruby Frost,' which has bright red blooms with white-edged petals.