Millais Nurseries
Companion Plants
Companion plants are selected based on their ability to thrive in the same conditions as the primary plants with which they are paired. In the context of rhododendrons and azaleas, we have chosen a large range of companion plants to blend nicely in woodland settings or even in much smaller gardens, providing an extra burst of colour to the borders.
Our selection of companion plants includes a diverse range of options, from evergreen and deciduous shrubs to grasses and herbaceous perennials. Each type offers unique benefits and characteristics, making them ideal partners for rhododendrons and azaleas.
Callicarpa bodinieri Profusion AGM
Also known as Beautyberry
(H6) Small lilac flowers in summer turning to amazing violet purple fruits in clusters in the autumn. Lovely purplish young foliage turned pink in autumn. Height 3m in 10 years. Deciduous with an upright habit. Requires moist, well drained acid soil in full sun or partial shade.
Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire'
(H5) A choice 'dogwood', forming a large spreading shrub. Orange-red & yellow young shoots with white flowers in the Summer. Bright coloured stems in the Winter. Height 200-400cm in 10 years. Moist acid or neutral soils.
Enkianthus campanulatus var. palibinii
(H5) A deciduous shrub reaching about 3m tall, with an upright to spreading habit. Its finely toothed, mid-green leaves turn red, orange and yellow in autumn. Clusters of small, red, bell-shaped flowers hang from the branches from late spring to mid-summer. Avoid north facing aspect, requires a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade and a moist but well-drained neutral or acid soil.
Hamamelis intermedia Barmstedt Gold AGM
(H5) A deciduous shrub with hazel-like leaves and large, fragrant golden-yellow flowers that bloom on bare branches in late winter and early spring; offers some yellow autumn colour. Easy to grow in an open but unexposed site with moist but well-drained acid or neutral soil.
Hamamelis intermedia Pallida AGM
(H5) One of the most popular witch-hazels with large sulphur yellow flowers in dense clusters on naked stems. Strong and delicately sweet scented, January to March. Good yellow autumn colour. Height 150-175cm in 10 years. Best in moist sunny position.
Hamamelis intermedia Rubin AGM
(H5) A rounded, upright deciduous shrub or small tree with wrinkled, oval green leaves that turn yellow and orange in autumn. It produces lightly scented, ruby-red flowers with narrow, crimped petals on bare branches in late winter and early spring. Easy to grow in an open but unexposed site. Requires moist but well-drained acid or neutral soil. 2.5-4m heigh in 10-20 years.
Hollyhock (Single Mixed)
PIcture for example only
These single mixed hollyhocks are the epitome of cottage-garden charm. Grown against a wall for extra protection, their tall flower spikes are covered in bright single blooms—perfect for creating a classic cottage-garden look.Hollyhocks grow in most garden soils but do best in fertile, well-drained soil and full sun, where they produce the tallest flower spikes. Plant...
Lonicera fragrantissima (Winter-Flowering Honeysuckle)
(H6) Pairs of fragrant creamy-white, two-lipped flowers 1cm long appear, sometimes followed by dull red berries, in winter and early spring. A bushy, deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub, with simple ovate dark green leaves up to 6cm long. Grow in any well-drained soil in sun or part shade. 150-250cm in approx. 10 years.
Phlomis russeliana AGM (Turkish sage)
(H6) A hairy perennial carrying large ovate leaves with a rough texture and grey to mid-green colouring, featuring a woolly white underside. Its stout stems carry whorls of hooded, soft yellow flowers approximately 3 cm long, which appear from late spring through to autumn. Prefers full sun and a moist but well-drained soil. 150cm high x 100cm wide in approx. 5 years.
Prunus incisa Kojo no Mai AGM
Representation of 10 litre top worked plant shown in 3rd photo.
(H5) Pink buds open to delicate single flowers with white petals, and deeper pink centres, in early spring. A lovely plant for spring interest, with rich orange autumn colours. Height 75-100cm in 10 years. Best in sun, and moist well drained soil.
'Kojo-no-mai' is a deciduous shrub to 2.5m tall, with zig-zag branches bearing mid-green,...
Salix gracilistyla 'Mount Aso'
The stems of this wonderful new form are clothed with fuzzy pink catkins in late winter and early spring. These look their best as they start to swell in mid- to late winter and make a wonderfully eye-catching feature for the winter garden. Even when the flowering has finished, the lush foliage, which has a silvery reverse, makes a great backdrop throughout the spring and summer for other plants that...