Grey and yellow: one is gentle, sensible and unoffensive, the other is bright, in your face and evocative of happiness. You wouldn’t think they’d go together, but they certainly do! And that’s why they’re Pantone’s Colours of the Year for 2021.
Of the pairing, Pantone said, ‘Illuminating, two independent colours that highlight how different elements come together to support one another, best express the mood for Pantone Color of the Year 2021. Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, the union of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is one of strength and positivity. It is a story of colour that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly.’
Each year, I look at how the Colour of the Year can be worked into the garden. After all, it usually ends up appearing on almost everything we see, from fashion to homeware – even the shade of our cars! I must admit, grey is a difficult shade to find in plants, but I’ve come up with some unusual and unique combinations to help you get ahead of the trends before the new season begins! Take a look at my picks below…
Grey and yellow plants for your garden
- Senecio Angel Wings
- Craspedia
Senecio Angel Wings & Craspedia
Combine the soft, fuzzy texture and icy colour of Senecio Angel Wings with the fun pom poms and warm yellow tones of Craspedia!
- Miss Willmott’s ghost (Zeynel Cebeci / CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Achilea
Eryngium Miss Wilmott’s Ghost & Yarrow
Miss Willmott’s ghost has a sharp, haunting nature to it! Soften it up with some fluffy Achilea!
- Calocephalus
- Aconites
Calocephalus & Aconites
Calocephalus is a beautiful silver foliage plant that makes a great background for Aconites, a member of the happy little Buttercup family!
- Snapdragon
- Larkspur Earl Grey
Snapdragon & Larkspur Earl Grey
Isn’t this such a lush, buxom combo?! These full and fabulous Snapdragons go perfectly with the frilly, delicate Larkspur Earl Grey.
- Poppy ‘Amazing Grey’
- Anethum
Poppy ‘Amazing Grey’ & Anethum graveolens
Definitely a combination for those who like to make their garden a talking point, the pleated petals of Poppy ‘Amazing Grey’ go perfectly with the firework-like inflorescences of Anethum.
- Rose ‘Earl Grey’ (@cottonandcrumbs)
- Santoline
Rose ‘Earl Grey’ & Santoline
A popular pick for weddings, the dainty elegnace of Rose ‘Earl Grey’ goes surprisingly well with zesty Santoline.
- Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (David J. Stang / CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Dutch Hyacinth
Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ & Dutch Hyacinth
The handsome Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ and cheerful Dutch Hyacinth may be an odd pairing on paper, but believe me when I say they look fabulous together in real life!

Michael has been involved with gardening and plants since he was just five years old. He is a self-professed Plant Geek, and was listed in the Sunday Times top 20 most influential people in the gardening world, thanks to his plant hunter role at Thompson & Morgan.
Michael was responsible for new plant introductions such as the Egg and Chips plant and the FuchsiaBerry and keeps busy travelling the world in search of new plants as well as lecturing worldwide, including stints in Japan. He is very active on social media – so why not give him a follow at @mr_plantgeek or Facebook – and writes a plant-focused Substack called Grow This, Not That.