What to grow with Verbena bonariensis

Their pale flowerheads, along with the rustling movement of the stems, make ornamental grasses the perfect companion for Verbena bonariensis. Here, compact variety 'Lollipop' grows with hare's tail grass, Lagurus ovatus. The pale grass acts as a foil for the purple verbena flowers in this informal, prairie-style scheme.

Nicotiana sylvestris

In this design the long, tubular flowers of the tobacco plant, Nicotiana sylvestris, hang downwards while the upward-facing flowerheads of verbena reach for the sky.

Veronicastrum virginicum

Here, the muted tones of the Veronicastrum virginicum set off rich purple Verbena bonariensis to perfection. The open, airy display leads the eye through and beyond, helping to make the space appear larger.

Cosmos atrosanguineus

In this scheme, the Verbena bonariensis vies for attention with the intense maroon colour of chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus).

Japanese anemone

These delicate, pale pink anemone flowers work beautifully with the vivid verbena - a highly effective contrast of shapes and sizes.

Symphyotrichum 'Oktoberlicht'

This gorgeous plant combination is best suited to a large garden. Symphyotrichum 'Oktoberlicht' grows in the foreground, with Verbena bonariensis taking centre stage against a backdrop of pale blue Salvia uliginosa.

Spanish flag

This bold display features red and yellow annual climber Spanish flag (Ipomoea lobata). The purple brings out the hot colours of the Ipomoea lobata, making for an intense, rich display. As Spanish flag is a climber, you'll need to provide it with support (an obelisk would work well) and grow the Verbena bonariensis next to it.