Barn Talk: Better Together: Designing with Plant Combinations

Good design happens when individual elements come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts. Just as you coordinate clothing or pair food and wine for harmony and impact, thoughtful plant combinations can transform an ordinary garden into an unforgettable experience. In this lively session, we’ll explore how contrasting and complementary colors and textures create successful plant pairings. Learn how to use a gardener’s color wheel to build compositions that feel dynamic, intentional, and visually compelling all year long. Whether you’re working with containers, borders, or sweeping beds, expect to gain not only inspiration, but also clear, actionable tools for choosing plant partners that truly shine better together

Caitlin Francke is the founder of Dirt Diva Designs, a full-service landscape design firm in Chatham, New Jersey. A former journalist and social media executive — twice nominated for Pulitzer Prizes — she discovered that her true joy comes from designing outdoor spaces, or as she puts it, creating happiness from the ground up. Trained at the New York Botanical Garden’s School of Professional Horticulture, Caitlin writes for Fine Gardening magazine and her work has been featured on Martha Stewart. But she doesn’t take it all too seriously: she wrote a ‘Tiny Love’ column for The New York Times about breaking up with a plant.