how do i choose a border for my plant

How to plan garden borders in 8 easy steps

Full Answer

What is a well planted border?

How to keep bare root shrubs from drying out?

How to get air pockets out of potted plants?

How to grow a sage plant?

How long can you keep bareroots in the ground?

Do potted plants need watering?

Can you plant shrubs in pots?

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How do I choose a garden border?

3:2619:27Create an outstanding perennial border - how to choose ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd and so what you don't want is a border to too skinny and too long because then it won't feelMoreAnd and so what you don't want is a border to too skinny and too long because then it won't feel right and it definitely will feel very small and insignificant. You don't want it to be too dumpy.

What is a good border plant?

Ornamental grasses such as fountain grass are ideal for planting along borders, paths, or driveways in that receive full sun. Dwarf varieties grow to two to three feet tall, and three feet wide, adn feature fine green foliage in the summer that produces pinkish "foxtail" blooms in late summer to early fall.

What is the best size for a garden border?

Wider borders are easier to manage, because they give your plants the space to grow and you will not have to keep cutting them back to contain them in the space. It is better to have fewer planting areas, but make them bigger. One metre wide is really a minimum, two metres better.

How wide should a planter border be?

How wide? In a small yard with limited space, 2- to 3-foot-wide borders may make the most sense. The rule of thumb for traditional English perennial borders is that they need to be at least 6 to 8 feet wide to accommodate the range of plants needed to provide varying heights and continuous bloom.

What makes a good flower border?

The five key elements of a successful flower border The five elements of a good flower border are a tree, shrubs, perennials, annuals (or biennials) and bulbs. Perennials are plants that stay in the border for 2+ years. Some are evergreen but many die down in winter, to re-emerge in spring.

How do I create a low maintenance border?

7 Ways to Create Low Maintenance Garden BordersMonkey Grass and Other Perennials. Source: Pinterest. ... Rocks. Source: Pinterest. ... Bulbs. Source: Pinterest. ... Flower Pots. You can purchase durable floor pots in a variety of colors (or just one) and make your border from these. ... Walkways. Source: Pinterest. ... Shrubs. ... Raised Beds.

How do you fill a garden border cheaply?

This border gap can be filled very cheaply with mulch, such as bark chipping, or even recycled rubber, which looks exactly like bark, and does a great job of keeping your borders looking neat and tidy. Using mulch just around the edge of your borders will keep your costs down, whilst keeping your plants healthy.

How do you plant a border for all year color?

Assess the specific conditions of your garden. ... Think about the time you have available for maintaining a border. ... Plan your year of color. ... Decide on a look for your planting scheme. ... Pick a range of different plant colors. ... Build up your base of evergreens. ... Choose long-flowering plants for easy maintenance.More items...•

Should flower bed be lower than lawn?

The best way to make planting beds is to keep the soil at or below the original level. Beside the sidewalk it should be 3 inches below the level of the sidewalk so that mulch can be added. Being lower than the lawn grass also works better than being too high.

How deep should borders be?

8. Edge your border – Dig a trench about 8 inches deep. 9. Site your plants – to allow you to get your spacing just right and perfect the appearance of your border.

How do you plan a flower border?

0:5413:42How to plan a flower border - top professional tips - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd tulips as bulbs. And in the summer there are lilies and in the autumn. There are nereins. BulbsMoreAnd tulips as bulbs. And in the summer there are lilies and in the autumn. There are nereins. Bulbs are particularly useful in planning a border because their leaves come up often say in the spring.

How deep should a border flower bed be?

Most home gardens are more likely to have beds that fall between 5 and 50 feet long. In this case depth should range between 3 and 6 to 8 feet deep. Any bed that is deeper than 4 feet (you can only reach so far) will need to have access to the interior of the bed for weeding and other maintenance purposes.

What is a good border plant perennial?

10 Best Border PerennialsShasta daisy. The Shasta daisy is an upgraded version of the wild daisy. ... Lambs' ears. Lambs' ear is a very low maintenance flower that has velvety leaves that feel almost wool-like. ... Plumbago. ... Stokes' asters. ... Lungworts. ... Astilbes. ... Heucherellas. ... Snowdrop Anemones.More items...

What plants go in a small border?

Check out some of our favourite plants to grow in narrow borders, below.Espalier trees. Espalier, fan and cordon-trained trees are a great option for narrow borders. ... Bearded iris. Bearded iris take up very little room and will thrive in a hot, sunny border. ... Libertia. ... Honeysuckle. ... Erigeron. ... Lavender. ... Ferns. ... Japanese anemones.More items...

What plants are best for driveway borders?

Herbs that would specifically make great plants for driveway borders include sage, lavender, silver thyme, and rosemary.

What is the most low maintenance outdoor plant?

14 Low-Maintenance Plants for Easy LandscapingOrnamental Grass: Ribbon Grass. ... Ornamental Grass: Fescue. ... Tree: Thornless Honeylocust. ... Shrub: Juniper. ... Flowering Perennial : Hardy Geranium. ... Flowering Perennial: Dianthus. ... Flowering Shrub: Hydrangea. ... Sedge: Gold Sedge.More items...

Best Border Plants For Your Garden For Every Month Of The Year

Create a display of border plants that looks good for 12 months of the year. Our round up of 12 plants for a garden border includes evergreen and shady options.

What to consider before creating a garden border?

Before you create or plant up garden border, it’s important to consider its shape and depth.

Why do you use a curved border?

Sweeping, curved borders can really help to make a space feel larger than it actually is. It’s important you get a smooth, uninterrupted curve when creating these borders, so use a length of hose to experiment with the shape and size of the border. You can also use it as a guide once you start digging.

What is straight edged border?

Straight-edged borders naturally have a somewhat formal appearance. Of course, this is partly determined by the plants you use – soft, billowing plants such as ornamental grasses will help to offset the effect of long, straight edges. For small gardens, consider borders with curved edges, which can make the space feel larger.

How to undulate a border?

Undulating border edges can look great, but the secret to success is not to make the ‘waves’ or undulations too small. You can use plants to enhance the undulating effect, letting plants spill over the border edges at intervals , creating a rhythmic ‘rise and fall’ effect. Amorphous borders have more curves, of varying sizes and depths, like the flow of a river.

How deep should a wood tile border be?

Wood tiled path lined with narrow borders. Borders can be several metres deep or as narrow as a spade’s length. One of the best ways to get an initial feel for how large you want your borders is to get out in the garden and have a walk around potential sites.

What to put next to a garden bench?

Also, consider any other elements close to your border. For example, a border of scented plants would be wonderful next to a garden bench, or close to a patio.

Transform your plot with our 6 easy-to-follow garden border planting ideas

Your garden borders are a key consideration for how to plan your garden design with a specific look and feel, so it's worth spending the time getting them right.

When is the best time of year to plan a new garden border layout?

Fall can be a great time to be planning your borders for the following spring and summer. Not only are the bare root plants and trees available to buy now much less expensive, but you will be giving your new border plenty of time to get its roots in, at the same time as sowing seeds and planting bulbs.

How to make a garden border?

Creating beautiful garden borders isn't too tricky once you've got the know-how. These tips are sure to give you a helping hand. 1. Consider your soil type. This is the key consideration. Your soil might be clay, sandy or loam, and it could be acid, alkaline or neutral.

How much sun does a garden border need?

To be classed as being in ‘full sun’, a border needs to get more than six hours of direct sun every day in summer. ‘Part shade’ means between four and six hours of sun every day, while a ‘shady’ border is in sun for from zero to four hours a day. Don't worry too much if you garden border gets limited sunshine, however.

What to plant in front of a fence?

Or, plant tall grasses, shrubs, or even a row of slender silver birches or pleached trees in front of them. Just be sure to keep anything you plant well watered until it’s established, as walls and fences tend to create dry rain shadows.

What are some good plants to grow in a floriferous area?

Ferns like Dryopteris wallichiana and Asplenium scolopendrium make a lovely, lush backdrop for more floriferous plants. Our guide on how to grow ferns is well worth checking out if you'd like to have your own. Aralia cordata is a beautiful foliage plant that has a wonderful, quiet presence in a border.

What is the best plant for a small garden?

In larger borders, one or two of the best trees for small gardens can take on this role (crab apples, for example, which have a naturally attractive, open shape and lots of character). In smaller spaces, large shrubs or perennials, such as ornamental grasses or the taller varieties of salvia, are ideal. Gardening guru Monty Don is a huge fan of using salvias for show-stopping late summer displays.

How to get better end result from planting plants?

Once you’ve chosen your plants, having a clear planting plan from the start will produce a much better end result than randomly putting in plants wherever there’s a gap. And, it’s worth knowing a few tricks of the trade. For example, garden designers often get breathtaking results by grouping plants of the same variety in threes or fives, then using ‘filler plants’ to hold the groups together visually.

How to tell if your soil is acidic or neutral?

Checking whether you have acid, alkaline or neutral soil is straightforward too. Buy a simple , cheap pH testing kit from any garden center, or online, then mix a little of your soil with water, add to the test tube and shake. In just a few minutes it will change color to reveal the result. Want more advice on identifying your soil type? Our guide to soil types has lots of expert tips.

How to arrange plants in a border?

Arrange your plants (still in their pots) in the border in the pattern you intend to plant them. Change around until you get the effect you want (although that’s more difficult when they are still relatively small).

How tall are border plants?

Borders used to be planted with the tallest plants at the back. You put towering 6ft blooms at the back and tiny 6″ flowers at the front.

What is the name of the tree that bears britches are planted in front of?

I planted an Acanthus mollis Rue Ledan (an all-white version of Bear’s britches) in front of this statue two years ago. But in this picture, it’s still just a clump of leaves. The foxgloves have kept the interest going while the acanthus finds its feet.

What plants will plump up my borders?

But there are lots of attractive plants that will plump up your borders while the perennials get established. Posy thinks we should look at begonias again, and a massed planting of cosmos always looks fabulous.

How wide should a plant be before planting?

But plants are airy. Whichever you choose, you need to give your plants the space to grow sideways. If the label says that the width is ultimately 30cm, you need to make sure it has 15cm on either side before you plant its mate. But also think about how airy or dense each plant is, before you plant a border.

What to use to add colour to a border?

Add colour and structure when you plant a border by using perennials. And they’re much easier to look after than annuals. To find out more see Perennials Made Simple – how to choose and grow perennial plants.

What is a show garden border?

Show garden borders are like the fashion pages of a magazine. They are stuffed full of plants that have been prinked and perked to perfection. Only planted for a few days at a time, they’re jammed together and treated as if they’re in intensive care.

How to draw a border for a garden?

Start with any types of flowers that are must-haves for your border. Draw spots for these plants onto the outline map first to ensure they are included. Put the tall plants at the back and the short plants at the front. Most gardeners tend to draw a circular-oval “blob” shape where a single species of plant will go.

What is a flower border?

Flower borders are mainstay of ornamental landscaping. These long flower beds decorate the perimeter of a yard or pathway with a succession of gorgeous blooms throughout the growing season. Here are the basics of planting and growing flower border gardens to help you create your own flower border in your outdoor space. 1.

How to keep perennials from weeding?

Apply Organic Mulch. Flower border gardens look and perform their best with a layer of organic mulch on top of the soil surface. A rich, uniform mulch such as homemade compost will provide a gentle supply of nutrients to the flowers, keep moisture in the soil, keep weeds down, and cool the roots of the perennials.

What to do if your plant isn't tall?

Make any field-fit adjustments that are required (for instance, if the color of certain plants isn’t as expected or if a delivered cultivar isn’t as tall/short as expected). Take care to ensure each plant is within the emitter drip zone of the irrigation tubing.

Can you put mulch on roses?

Its much easier to get between the plants to place mulch when they are small! Be sure though not to place organic mulch directly against the woody stems of flowers such as roses, hydrangea, and lavender as it can cause rot (it holds moisture against the stem). Here are some tips for keeping mulch in place. 7.

Step 1

Decide on the area that your new border will occupy. It needs to have at least some sunshine during the day.

Step 2

It’s important to ensure the soil has good structure and is healthy. The best way to do this is to feed the soil with plenty of well-rotted organic matter.

Step 3

Plan out what plants should go where. You can do this by arranging the plants in pots on the soil and moving them around until you are happy with the look of them.

Step 4

Once you have got the plants in the right positions you can start to plant them.

Step 5

Loosen the base of the hole and mix in a generous amount of Gro-Sure Rose, Tree and Shrub Compost.

Step 6

Place the root ball into the planting hole, making sure that the top of the roots is level with the top of the border soil.

What is a well planted border?

A well planted border is the mainstay of any outdoor space. No matter size or situation, a mix of hardy border plants will bring year-round interest to any garden. From a small urban space surrounded by hard surfaces to a country plot encircled by trees and hedge row, the open style of a mixed border can be adapted to suit any planting space. ...

How to keep bare root shrubs from drying out?

If you can't plant them immediately then heel them into a temporary location, or plunge the roots into a large trug of damp soil to prevent them from drying out. Keep them in a frost free spot to protect the vulnerable roots from the cold.

How to get air pockets out of potted plants?

When planting potted plants, always firm them in with your heel or balled fist to remove any air pockets. Set the surface of the rootball just below the soil line and cover lightly with soil.

How to grow a sage plant?

Ideally they should be grown on in a cool greenhouse, cold frame or cloche or on a cool windowsill. They can then safely be planted out as nicely sized young plants after the first frosts. If bare roots seem dry on arrival, soak for an hour in a bucket of water before potting on.

How long can you keep bareroots in the ground?

Keep them in a frost free spot to protect the vulnerable roots from the cold. They can be kept like this for a few weeks if necessary. Bareroot perennials are sent out through winter and early spring and should be ok for a few days in their packaging but ideally should be potted on as soon as possible on delivery.

Do potted plants need watering?

Potted plants, particularly larger ones, are generally more expensive. They may require extra watering and attention while establishing in the first season.

Can you plant shrubs in pots?

Do not set the stems of shrubs any deeper than they are growing in their pots. Root wrapped and potted plants can be planted in a similar way. Trim you plants to the same height and rake the soil level around the base of the plants, to give you a nice finish.