Aquilegia with geranium and tellima: Aquilegia vulgaris, Tellima grandiflora and Geranium phaeum 'Album'
A groundcover matrix of lime-green tellima is overlaid with white geraniums and a counterpoint of rich purple aquilegia, giving the effect of a woodland meadow.
The flowers are all similar in size and sit flat in the foreground plane like the colours of a Klimt painting. The varying proportions (50 per cent tellima, 35 per cent geranium, 15 per cent aquilegia) ensure that the aquilegias, which are dominant in colour and form, are kept in check.
Like a carpet of bluebells, this scheme works best on a large scale. If this scheme is planted in too small an area, you will perceive each plant individually, unless you add buttresses of evergreen try holly or osmanthus.
