Have you got deep borders Kath or are they quite narrow?
In my last house i tended to use flowering shrubs such as rhods, potentillas, buddlieas, heathers, azelias, peiris etc and dotted in some perennials in the gaps - crocosmia, hardy fushias, asters, peonies, day lillies. I had hardly any maintenance to do, just the annual pruning and feeding.
You could also get some nice winter flowering shrubs too - witch hazel, viburnums, forsythia, mahonias.

i'm sure you'll get lots of suggestions here!

Why don't you google 'border perennials' and you'll have masses of ideas infront of your eyes !

And I'd ask how long and wide is the border, which way does it face, in sun or shade and what part of the country you live in.

It does all depend on the border size and as bamboo states the aspect, however a decent shrub for starters with all year interest is Pyracantha, evergreen, lovely white flowers late spring followed by custers of Orange/red berries depending on your choice, through the autumn/winter. julien

This blog which I put together with help from other "Growsonyou " members should give you lots of ideas

http://www.growsonyou.com/anchorman/blog/12681-plants-with-a-very-long-flowering-season

Thanks everyone for your replies, Its a reasonably wide double border with some shade from two fruit trees and a small shed.facing southwest.Situated in East Sussex.

'reasonably wide' as a description doesn't tell me anything much, Kath, lol! You might consider 3 feet as reasonably wide, whereas I'd call that fairly narrow. Any chance of a measurement from front to back?