The lush, green leaves of cherry laurel are a fantastic way to keep your garden looking vibrant all year long. But if you really want to take your landscaping to the next level, it’s all about what you plant *around* it. Here’s a quick guide on how to pick the perfect companions for your cherry laurel.
How to Mix and Match Cherry Laurel Hedges
By choosing the right companion plants, you can turn a standard cherry laurel hedge into a thriving habitat for birds and local pollinators. Plus, adding some variety ensures your garden offers more than just evergreen foliage—it adds a pop of color and texture while still providing that solid privacy screen we all love. If you want to spruce up your hedge, try mixing in these shrubs:
Great woody companions for cherry laurel:
- Broom (Genista)
- Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
- Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia)
- Weigela
Just a heads-up: make sure to leave enough space between the different plants. If they’re too crowded, they’ll start competing for root space and nutrients. Even though cherry laurel is pretty low-maintenance, it still needs its fair share of “fuel” to keep those glossy green leaves looking healthy through every season.
Landscaping Around a Cherry Laurel Shrub
When you’re planting around a standalone cherry laurel, you want to think about how the flowers and leaf shapes will play off each other. The goal is to create a balanced look that keeps your garden interesting year-round. Depending on what you plant underneath or alongside your laurel, you can create some really stunning visual layers.
Try these shade-tolerant plants:
- Ferns
- Hostas
- Yellow Archangel (Goldnessel)
- Ragwort (Senecio)
One thing to keep in mind: cherry laurel casts a lot of shade because its foliage is so dense. You’ll want to choose “understory” plants that don’t mind living in the shadows. If you pick sun-loving plants, they won’t last long under that thick canopy. Luckily, there are plenty of beautiful shade-dwellers that will thrive right next to your laurel and help your garden look its best!