Plants That Grow Well With Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper

Shrubs

• Choose low-growing, sun-loving companion shrubs. The North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension recommends cultivars of the Bumald spirea (Spirea x bumalda) as juniper companions. These deciduous shrubs, which are hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8, grow from 1 to 4 feet tall with similar spreads and thrive in full sun and a range of soils. The Goldflame blooms in summer with pink flowers and has orange foliage that matures to yellow and green. The Limemound has bright-yellow foliage that matures to lime-green, and the Coccinea and Dart's Red cultivars produce deep-red flowers.

  The Danica arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis "Danica") grows to 1 1/2 feet tall in a globelike shape. This evergreen thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and is hardy in zones 3 to 7. Danica shrubs have lustrous foliage that turns blue-green in winter.

Ground Covers

• Ground covers help prevent erosion, runoff and weed growth around the dwarf Japanese garden juniper. Options include green-and-gold, a semi-evergreen hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. This fast-growing North American native reaches heights of 9 inches and blooms with bright-yellow, star-shaped flowers in spring and summer. It prefers well-drained soil and sun to partial shade.

  Myrtle euphorbia (Euphorbia myrsinites) grows to 8 inches tall and is hardy in zones 5 to 9. It thrives in full sun and well-drained to sandy soil. Myrtle euphorbia has blue-green, thick foliage that grows in a spiral. It produces yellow bracts from spring through midsummer.

Perennials

• Choose sun-loving perennials, or plants that live for at least three years, as juniper companions. Globe thistle (Echinops ritro) is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8 and grows from 2 to 4 feet tall. This perennial blooms in summer with round clusters of bright-blue, bee-attracting flowers. Globe thistles prefer well-drained soil and thrive in full sun.

  Basket-of-gold (Aurinia saxatilis) blooms in spring with yellow-to-orange flowers and has trailing stems. This little perennial is hardy in zones 3 to 7 and grows to 12 inches tall. It prefers full sun and well-drained to gravely soil.

Annuals

• Annuals only live for one growing season, but they tend to produce flowers for a longer period than perennials. California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) blooms through spring with red, orange, pink, yellow and white blossoms atop tall, nodding stems. Poppies prefer well-drained soil and sun and grow to 2 feet tall.

  The vinca (Catharanthus roseus) blooms from spring to fall with purple, red, pink and white flowers atop glossy foliage. These drought-tolerant annuals prefer sunny sites with well-drained soil. They grow from 6 to 18 inches tall.