What to Plant With Coreopsis
Also known as Tickseed, Coreopsis is a cheerful, sun-loving perennial that adds bright pops of yellow, orange, or pink to any garden. Its daisy-like blooms and ferny foliage make it a standout in mixed borders, pollinator gardens, and wildflower meadows. But like any great garden plant, Coreopsis really shines when paired with the right companions. This Garden Blog will teach you how to create stunning combinations that bloom from Spring through Fall and keep your landscape buzzing with life.
Shop Coreopsis Online! We Ship Premium Varieties To Your Door.
By: Reggie Meehan (12/10/2025) - Last Updated (2/13/2026)
Why Pair Coreopsis With Other Plants?
When I’m pairing Coreopsis in our beds here at the garden center, I’m always thinking about both beauty and purpose. The fine, airy foliage and cheerful blooms really shine when you tuck them beside plants with different flower shapes, heights, and texture. It gives the whole planting a layered, designer look without feeling forced. If you mix in plants that bloom a little earlier or later, you stretch that color show across the seasons instead of having everything peak at once. Also, when you choose companions that want the same conditions, upkeep stays simple, which is my favorite kind of gardening.
Coreopsis is happiest in full sun with well-drained soil and average moisture, and once it’s established, it handles drought like a champ. When I’m choosing what to plant around it, I stick with plants that enjoy those same bright, dry conditions. That way, everything grows evenly and no plant needs special pampering. I steer clear of shade lovers or heavy feeders that demand constant watering as they just don’t play well with Coreopsis.
5 Ideal Companions for Coreopsis
Whether you’re building a container combo or planning out your landscape border, here are some of the best plants to pair with Coreopsis:
Salvia
The upright spikes and bold blues or purples of Salvia offer a dramatic contrast to Coreopsis’s round, sunny blooms. Both thrive in full sun and attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds. Salvia’s vertical habit provides structure, while Coreopsis adds a loose, meadowy feel. Together, they create color and texture that lasts through the heat of summer. Plus, most Salvias are drought-tolerant and low-maintenance.
I personally love the combo ‘Early Sunrise’ Coreopsis with perennial Salvia. Its clean daisy form and bright yellow color blend naturally with blue and purple tones, creating timeless color combinations that never feel forced. When planted alongside airy Salvias or Nepeta, it acts as a grounding element, keeping the planting from feeling too loose. Early Sunrise shines in traditional perennial borders where balance, reliability, and cohesion are the goal.
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Echinacea and Coreopsis make a powerhouse duo for pollinator gardens. Their similar bloom times and easy-care nature make them perfect partners in sunny borders. The coneflower’s larger blooms and pastel pinks or purples balance beautifully with the bright yellow tones of Coreopsis. Both plants handle drought well and will come back reliably each year. They also resist deer and make great cut flowers.
Coreopsis ‘Double the Sun’ pairs especially well with Echinacea. Its dense, ruffled double blooms balance beautifully against the strong cones of Echinacea, creating a high-impact summer display with texture contrast. The saturated golden color also plays well with deep purples and reds, making it an excellent companion to purple coneflower or dark-leaved perennials. In mixed borders, it works best when surrounded by plants with sturdy structure that can visually support its fullness.
Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
I’ve always loved pairing Rudbeckia with Coreopsis because they just make sense together. The warm yellows and golden tones blend so naturally, and their similar growth habits create that relaxed, prairie-style look that feels effortless but full. When they’re both in bloom from midsummer into fall, the whole bed glows Both plants are tough, dependable, and bloom for a long stretch, which makes them perfect for mass plantings or sunny borders where you want real impact.
The deep red tones of Permathread™ Red Satin cut sharply against the warm gold and dark central cones of Rudbeckia, creating a high-impact look that feels intentional rather than accidental. Rudbeckia’s upright stems and strong presence provide visual stability, allowing the finer, threadleaf foliage and lighter habit of Red Satin to weave through without getting lost. Together, they deliver long-lasting summer color with excellent heat tolerance, making the combination especially effective in sunny borders and modern pollinator plantings.
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
Gaillardia and Coreopsis both love heat, sun, and dry conditions, making them ideal for xeriscaping or hot garden beds. The bold red, orange, and yellow tones of Gaillardia flowers add warmth and depth next to Coreopsis. Their shared daisy-like shapes keep the look casual and wild, perfect for cottage gardens. Gaillardia’s slightly lower profile makes it great for edging or front-of-the-border use. And like Coreopsis, it blooms for months on end.
A great matchup I used last Summer was Gaillardia 'Arizona Apricot' paired with the compact, tidy Coreopsis ‘Nana’ which kept the planting grounded and controlled. Nana acts as a visual buffer at the front of the bed, preventing Gaillardia’s energetic color from feeling chaotic. Together, they create a vibrant, sun-loving pairing that thrives in heat, handles drought well, and delivers long-lasting color without overwhelming smaller garden spaces.
Lavender
Lavender may not bloom quite as long as Coreopsis, but I still reach for it often because of what it adds beyond flowers. That silvery foliage and calming fragrance bring such a beautiful textural contrast, especially next to the bright, sunny tones of Coreopsis. It loves the same dry, full-sun conditions, so they grow side by side without any fuss. The soft purple blooms cool down all that warm yellow and gold, creating a combination that feels balanced and refined rather than loud.
Lavender’s foliage and cool purple blooms set the perfect stage for the pale lemon-yellow flowers and airy texture of Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’. Moonbeam threads gently through the planting, brightening the cooler tones of lavender without competing for attention. The shared preference for full sun and well-drained soil makes them an easy, low-maintenance match that feels calm, refined, and timeless in cottage and pollinator-style gardens.
Tips for Designing With Coreopsis
Designing with Coreopsis opens up endless possibilities thanks to its vibrant colors, airy texture, and flexible plant forms. With thoughtful pairings, it becomes the kind of plant that ties an entire design together from spring through frost.
Mix Colors and Textures
One of the things I love most about Coreopsis is just how versatile it is. You’re not limited to plain yellow anymore. We’ve got bright golds, warm reds, bi-colors, and even soft pastel shades. I always tell customers to lean into that range. If you want a bold, high-impact border, try pairing sunny yellow Coreopsis with deep purples, rich burgundy foliage, or cool blues. That contrast makes the color absolutely jump and gives you that instant “wow” factor when you step back and look at the bed.
Texture is just as important as color. I love planting Coreopsis alongside fine-textured grasses like Mexican feather grass or Carex to highlight those upright stems and airy, daisy-like blooms. The softness of the foliage against the bright flowers creates movement and keeps the planting feeling light instead of stiff. When you mix color and texture thoughtfully, the whole garden feels layered and dynamic—never busy, just beautifully balanced.
Layer by Height
One of the reasons I use Coreopsis so often in our borders is because of its flexibility. Some varieties stay in tidy little mounds, while others grow into medium-height, upright forms so you can really layer with intention. The taller selections are beautiful tucked into the middle of a mixed perennial bed, acting as that natural bridge between your big, bold back-of-the-border plants and the lower growers up front.
I like to anchor them with taller structural companions like Salvia, Echinacea, or Rudbeckia to give the planting some strong vertical presence. Then along the front edge, I’ll soften everything with creeping thyme, dwarf sedum, or sweet alyssum to frame the bed and keep it feeling finished. That tiered approach adds depth and flow, prevents taller plants from shading out the smaller ones, and gives each plant enough breathing room to show off its natural shape. When it’s done right, the whole border feels balanced and thoughtfully designed, not crowded.
Extend Bloom Time
One of the reasons I rely on Coreopsis so heavily in our sunny beds is that it blooms for such a long stretch. But if you really want a border that feels alive all season, it helps to layer in plants that shine before and after it. I love tucking in early Spring bloomers like Tulips, Daffodils, and Ornamental Aliums so the garden wakes up with color well before the Coreopsis hits its stride. By the time those bulbs start to fade, the Coreopsis is gearing up and ready to take over the show.
Then as Summer rolls on and we start thinking about Fall, I weave in plants like Nepeta, Coneflowers, or Asters to carry things through the tail end of the season. That staggered bloom timing keeps you from having those awkward “dead zones” where everything finishes at once. Instead, the border always feels fresh and intentional, with something colorful and interesting happening from early Spring right on through frost.
Final Thoughts
Coreopsis is one of those dependable, hardworking bloomers that truly earns a starring role in any sunny garden. I’ve planted it in everything from large borders to simple patio containers, and it never disappoints. But when you surround it with the right companions, it becomes part of something bigger; a layered, colorful planting that feels alive and balanced rather than one-dimensional. That’s when a garden really starts telling a story.