A Year In The Life Of A Border

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One of the things we aspire to in the garden is something that looks good for as long as possible – from early spring through high summer and on into late autumn. This blog shows my efforts with the main border in my back garden which is about eighteen feet long and six deep. It runs pretty well due north/south and faces east so it gets the morning sun but, being backed by a fence, is in shade for much of the time after midday. The soil is quite moisture retentive, even more so at the southern end as the garden runs slightly downhill – this means the northern end can accommodate plants that require a little more sun or need their feet drier during winter. The border is visible from the southern end from the house which means gaps are less visible from indoors but I have shown pictures along the length of the border so it is easier to see changes as they occur.

JANUARY 2009

I leave all the old top growth on perennials over the winter; there is also a covering of leaves from nearby oak trees and my own wisterias giving protection to both dormant plants and, unfortunately, to slugs.

MID MARCH 2009

The spring tidy was late this year, due to a cold winter and a holiday in late February. But by the middle of March, all the old growth has been cut down, the old leaves raked off and the soil forked over and fed. Note the skimmia on the left has been cut back to allow views of the border from the house.

EARLY APRIL 2009

Spring is dry but growth is slowly starting. Small primulas have been planted for early colour. Salix hastata ‘Wehrhahnii’ (back centre) carries white catkins with yellow anthers.

MID APRIL 2009

Just two weeks later and perennials are starting to stir. Clumps of brown grass (uncinia unciniata) are starting to add colour and structure to the front edge but the colour from the primulas still dominates.

LATE APRIL 2009

By the end of the month, the new season is very much under way. You can almost hear the perennials growing as spring has been mild this year. Next door’s acer is now in full leaf, providing a backdrop while the first of the euphorbia polychroma is in flower in the front row.

MID MAY 2009

Suddenly there is height in the middle and back rows. The fence is starting to disappear behind greenery, the yellow hues of the border are starting to dominate and the front row of uncinia, euphorbias, waldsteinia ternata and meconopsis cambrica are in full stride. Behind, geums, trollius and the foliage of lysimachia ciliata ’Firecracker’ contrast with the fresh greens of new foliage. The salix is full leaf with a clematis climbing over it for later interest.

EARLY JUNE 2009

The back row plants have now reached something approaching their full height and the whole border is brimming with growth. Meconopsis cambrica, geums and trollius still stand out and have now been joined by aquilegia chrysantha and aruncus. The first blooms are forming on the clematis over the salix.

LATE JUNE 2009

Now the border is dominated by the plumes of aruncus dioicus but other plants in the back row contribute too

MID JULY 2009

The second half of July can be a difficult time for gardens in the south of the country. Lysimachia ciliata’ Firecracker’ and solidago’ Golden Baby’ keep the border going through the rest of the month

MID AUGUST 2009

Heleniums, achilleas and crocosmias have come into flower and provide the main interest but a few other plants are still contributing. Sencio doria, just to the right of the salix, and a perennial sunflower to the left, give some blooms higher up

MID SEPTEMBER 2009

The border is running out of steam now. I need to think about autumn colour for next year – perhaps some rudbeckia and more heleniums

LATE OCTOBER 2009

Chrysanthemum ‘Apricot’ provides a final fling but the rest of the border looks derelict. I think some planning is required for late season interest.

I am happy with the way this develops until August but then all the colour tends to be concentrated at one end rather than spread through the border. I also need to think about extending the interest into September and keeping plants looking tidy into autumn.

Apart from the primulas, everything is perennial and goes from year to year. I plan to add another shrub in the back row; there is also a mahonia at the back on the far right which was newly planted this spring and will take a few years to develop but will contribute higher up when it matures. I hope this gives you some ideas on how to get a long season of interest from your borders.

15 Nov, 2009
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Comments

Louise1

Just brilliant.

Have you decided what the shrub will be yet, for there ?

I too need to get more late season colour in my long border.

15 Nov, 2009

Sanbaz

great andrew, how quickly it all changes, i need more late colour to, enjoyed seeing the border change andrew

15 Nov, 2009

Dawnsaunt

You have some lovely plants there Andrew.
My particular favourite is the aruncus dioicus, hope mine looks like this next year.

15 Nov, 2009

Spritzhenry

Thank you for such an interesting look at an area of your garden right through the year! I really enjoyed looking at the developing border. :-))

15 Nov, 2009

Loobee

Fabulous. I'm green with envy. Well done. :-)

15 Nov, 2009

Skillen

Very interesting blog Andrew. Great to see the border changing through all the seasons.

15 Nov, 2009

Drc726

Interesting blog - a lovely border Andrew, isnt nature clever to recover so quickly each year. Dare I asked if you have considered Helianthus Lemon Queen for some later colour?

15 Nov, 2009

Seaburngirl

this is a fantastic blog. I must try and do something similar.
lovelyplanting schemes too.

15 Nov, 2009

Andrewr

Louise - yes, I'm growing a shrub on in a pot for twelve months before planting it out. Needless to say, I've picked an unusual one and none too hardy so I want it a decent size and growing strongly before it takes it position next spring.

Drc - is that helianthus one with roots that run? I already have H.x multiflorus (extreme left of picture in mid August). I'm going to add more heleniums and chrysanthemums, maybe rudbeckia as well if there's room

15 Nov, 2009

Bluespruce

Good blog, and nicely put together.

15 Nov, 2009

Drc726

I think it may be Andrew but it hasnt done that for me as yet. I also have L Firecracker and that seems to be spreading but it has lots of room.

15 Nov, 2009

Stroller

great blog Andrew it was interesting to follow the changes like this as you can so easily forget things when trying to remember how long a certain olant looked good for.

15 Nov, 2009

Drc726

What I wanted to ask Andrew is your lawn edges look so good, so do the beds get bigger every year like mine or do you keep the plants back off the grass.

15 Nov, 2009

Bornagain

Good idea Andrew and it helps to know where and when colour is needed. I always make mental notes ..and forget them:-( H. Lemon queen became a problem for me so Drc I should keep my eye on it if I were you, I've mentioned it in Spritzs thug blog;-( Pretty though:-)

15 Nov, 2009

Louise1

Andrew you crafty wotsit, you didn't say what that shrub WAS ;-)

16 Nov, 2009

Grindle

isn't it amazing the amount of growth plants can put on in such a short time. Your mid summer pictures look great :)

16 Nov, 2009

Sid

Thanks for that Andrew. I'm planning to do a similar sort of blog with my island bed, which starts off with a terrific show of tulips, but, like your border, seriously runs out of steam come late summer/autumn, apart from the Stipa gigantea and Miscanthus 'Zebrinus, which add interest and structure, not not colour. I was thinking about moving a Rudbeckia in there, but I'm not sure I will like a single blob of yellow.....so I might have to plant several lol

16 Nov, 2009

Andrewr

Drc - I try to keep my plants from sprawling on to the grass, sometimes using discreet supports to keep them back. If you don't do this, you finish up with bald patches along the edge which look terrible until the following year's floppy growth covers them up. If the garden was bigger, I'd have mowing strips (stone strips) along the front of the borders so the plants could flop a bit without getting over the grass

Louise - I know. I've got to get the shrub through this winter, then plant it next spring and hope it grows away and flowers. I promise I'll let you see a photo if it does

Sid - have you seen a book by Marina Christopher called 'Late Summer Flowers' (your library might have a copy)? Very useful for ideas to extend the season

16 Nov, 2009

Sid

Thanks for that Andrew - no, I don't think I've come across that one. I'll look out for it. I did plant 2 dahlias in there to try to extend the season but unfortunately they took a bit of a bashing from the slugs. Better luck next year!

16 Nov, 2009

Dottydaisy2

Andrew that was a very useful and interesting blog, it is so difficult to get a border to look good all through the year, sometimes you think you have achieved it, then you look at photographs you have taken and you realise it does not look as good as you thought, I have been gardening for over 30 years and still havent got it right.

16 Nov, 2009

Andrewr

DD - then one year you get it right and the following year, something has elbowed everything in it's path and it's back to square one again - that's the 'joy' of gardening isn't it?

16 Nov, 2009

Spritzhenry

True, Andrew! It's the old, old question - 'When is a garden ever finished?'

Answer - never!

16 Nov, 2009

Dottydaisy2

So very true, but I will carry on.........

16 Nov, 2009

Rbtkew

Thanks for a great blog Andrew; a very impressive border after a lot of hard work!

17 Nov, 2009

Lisa58

Thanks for a very interesting blog chock full of details and great ideas. The pictures (and of course your garden) are beautiful! Best of luck choosing other plants for fall interest. May I recommend a book a friend told me about and I bought? "A Garden For All Seasons" ~ Create a year-round beautiful garden, by Pippa Greenwood, copyright 2002, published by Headline Book Publishing. I had to order it through mail order, but you may be able to find it at a local book shop. I know I have a similar problem (4 season interest in the garden), so I am going to re-read her book! Thanks again~~ Lisa :)

17 Nov, 2009

Andrewr

Thanks Lisa. There is a book here by Marina Christopher who runs a small nursery about 35 miles from me. I have borrowed it from our town library a couple of times and visited her nursery. I think I have seen the Pippa Greenwood book too and of course, Christopher Lloyd gave some good suggestions in his books too

17 Nov, 2009

Dottydaisy2

I love Christopher LLoyds books, have put one on my Christmas list and Sarah Raven and Will Giles latest one.

17 Nov, 2009

Mavisc52

Nice to see how a border chages throughout a season it all looks nice and tidy as well.I find my geraniums give me long lasting colour especially Mavis Simpson and Bill Wallis.

17 Nov, 2009

Sussexsarah

This is a great idea - taking the same photo again and again. I must try it - no doubt its helpful when deciding what to put where out of season.

6 Dec, 2009

Lujean

This is just beautiful you have done so much to get everything to be so full and beatiful I love the way you have arranged your bed thanks great ideas here.

13 Dec, 2009

Scottish

Thanks for pointing me in the direction of this blog Andrew - it's been interesting. A good idea to photograph the borders as the months go by - you've given me plenty of food for thought.
It's easy to understand the principle of planting for year round colour but I struggle to put that into practice. You've managed it well and where you struggle at the end of the year, my struggle is earlier in the year, obviously the later spring here a hurdle. Thanks again, I've taken plenty away from this post :)

26 Apr, 2014

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