Patio Border Planting Ideas. Garden borders are crucial to a successful garden design and provide limitless possibilities for creative planting.
You can also keep your garden borders looking bright all year long, even during the depths of winter, with a little know-how.
Follow horticulturalist Matt James’ advice and make luscious, thriving garden borders whether you prefer a landscaped, formal appearance or want to make a natural garden. You don’t need to bring much with you when you go garden.
Rhododendron
Rhododendrons bloom in a wide range of forms and sizes, making them a crowd favorite for their explosive purple and pink blooms.
When using rhododendrons as boundaries, look for medium-sized bushes that thrive in dappled light.
Monkey Grass (Liriope muscari)
Monkey grass, which grows 12 inches tall and broad in partial sun to shade, is a grass-like perennial. Because of its beautiful, deep evergreen leaves and purple muscari-like flower spikes in the summer, it has been a favorite border plant for generations.
Get your lawn into shape
Your lawn is probably the biggest shape you’ll see out of your window, unless you have a garden. It will set the whole garden on the right path if it’s a good, sturdy design.
Try oval, circle, square, or oblong forms if you want it to be non-rectangular. To do the job properly, you’ll need the proper tools.
The Flymo Easi Glide 300 Electric Mower was the most popular model last year, according to price comparison service PriceRunner, and there was an increase in searches for nifty robotic lawn mowers and ride-on mowers.
Stuart Thomas, gardening expert at Primrose online garden store, suggests that for ongoing lawn care and maintenance:
Consider the three principles of sunlight, showers, and soil aeration if your lawn is looking dull. To prevent excessive shade, cut branches back.
If the UK’s frequent rain isn’t cutting it, water once a week early in the morning. Take a fork to your lawn and make holes in big clusters for aeration.
Your lawn will be lush in no time if you do all of these. ‘And don’t cut it too short!’
You may want to let your grass grow long and discover what wildflowers cultivate naturally in lieu of using a lawnmower, as there has been a rise in natural wildlife gardens.
People want gardens that look like they are “of nature” rather than the more obviously designed spaces,” explains garden designer Ann-Marie Powell, which taps into the rewilding trend.
FOLLOW THE RULE ‘RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE’
Choosing the proper plants for your location is especially important when designing a low-maintenance garden border. Select plants appropriate to the environment, taking into consideration the weather, light levels, soil, and moisture.
Choose drought tolerant plants, such as those you would choose for a dry garden if planning to endure some neglect under hot spells, if your border is sunny.’
For evergreen structure, garden designer Alice Ferguson recommends Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote,’ and for seasonal impact, Echinacea purpurea, Echinops bannaticus.
A Mediterranean garden design may include many of the plants that prefer to be in full sun.
Plants and shrubs for shade will be critical for success in a border with little sunlight.
Sarcococca hookeriana, Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. eurybracteata, and other plants provide a more vivid edge. Dryopteris wallichiana, Polypodium vulgare, and Blechnum spicant are among the evergreen and deciduous ferns in the collection of Adampinensis ‘Soft Caress.
According to Alice Ferguson, Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ and heuchera are ideal for shady low ground cover.
‘Selection shrubs and plants that won’t outgrow their position, and discover how much they’ll grow over time so you may give them enough area, is important.
Advice from garden designer Sue Townsend(opens in new tab): Position key shrubs carefully since they are more difficult to relocate when bigger.
BORDER YOUR PATIO WITH PLENTY OF PLANTS
When you’re outside relaxing, want to add more flowers and greenery to the scene? Try some of the finest edging plants on your paved area.
Lavender is a lovely plant, not only because it attracts pollinators but also because of its calming fragrance. Nepeta is a lovely purple blooming plant that would suit a calm, cottage-style decor.
Choose ‘Walker’s Low’ for a low-cost solution that will soften harsh lines and creep across patio edges.
A bright, red-brick elevated bed to the left is also included in this arrangement, which contains an gorgeous yet romantic presentation of decorative grasses and other tall flora.
This adds an extra dose of shelter and privacy to the area by separating it from the lawn.
Moss Rose
Moss rose is a great option for those in arid regions since it’s drought-tolerant and thrives in full, bright sunlight.
Being a dependable edging plant for walkways or small flower beds, the brilliant-flowered annual seldom spreads beyond where it was initially sowed.
Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)
This semi-evergreen fern grows 18 to 24 inches tall and broad along woodland paths or in dappled clearings.
The copper-colored young fronds of autumn fern unfurl and mature to deep green, giving the plant its name. During the winter, the leaves stay green. USDA zones 5 through 9. $9.95 per plant. Available on Amazon
Plan your planting
Structural plants filled with beautiful flowering plants are the foundation of the best garden designs. So, at the end of each border and as a punctuation mark along the way, use evergreen shrubs.
For bigger areas, include little shrubs like box balls or huge evergreens like mahonia.
Fill the gaps with lovely blooming plants once you have this frame. Try to create a coordinated and harmonious effect by limiting yourself to just five or six different types and arranging them in repeated patterns.
A perfect depth for a border is one metre or more, providing enough space to put smaller plants in the front and bigger ones at the rear.
Remember that lines of planted-up troughs – choose evergreen scented plants, such as lavender or Mexican orange blossom – may define seating or dining spaces.
Containers, on the other hand, allow you to transport them wherever you want.
Tony Woods, managing director of garden design firm Garden Club London, says that creeping rosemary is a excellent plant for edging in pots because it trails rather than growing upright and is evergreen.
You could put climbers at the back of the border so you can still get height in your planting if you don’t have room for metre-deep beds.
Choose an evergreen, such as clematis, to plant in your yard because it generates a lovely and colorful show.
It’s a very well-behaved plant that responds well to being trimmed back and has masses of white, waxy, scented blossoms throughout the summer.’ It’s perfect for placing behind a seating area where you don’t want plants hanging over and can enjoy the fragrance.’
Try to select some of the flowers for your garden as ‘out of season’ performers, or install spring and early summer bulbs to get your garden off to a flying start.
The Samphire Garden by Sue Townsend shows you how to build a garden that benefits the environment while remaining full of texture and aesthetic appeal. If you’re interested in ways to make your garden more sustainable, this is one option.
The coastal garden in Suffolk is set among paving made of locally reclaimed York Stone, and it features a rich palette of drought-tolerant plants such as native seaside plants, grasses, and Mediterranean shrubs.
Verbena bonariensis, eryngiums, euphorbias, lavender, achillea, ballota, miscanthus nepalensis, pennisetum are among the plants on offer. To allow water to be naturally released into the ground, make sure that you utilize permeable surfaces.
Lavender
Let’s talk about the lavender plant while we’re on the lavender color train.
Lavender is without a doubt a must-have herb for the garden. Any bed gets beautifully finished by this traditional plant. Planting a lavender hedge adds an interesting touch to a pathway. Why you should grow a lavender hedge, and how to do it, are explained below.
Everyone’s attention is drawn to Lavender, and some lovely garden visitors are drawn to her appearance and fragrance. Bees and other beneficial insects will be treated to your garden, resulting in even more life.
Lavender is also one of the few plants that thrives in poor soil, along with a long list of others. They’re not picky and don’t need a lot of care, so they require little upkeep.
It has additional applications that aren’t restricted to the garden. Use this lovely edging plant to make your own lavender essential oil, or create a soothing drink in the kitchen.
This hardy perennial requires well-drained soil to thrive. Neutral to alkaline soil is ideal for long-term survival, although it isn’t necessary.
You’ll be treated with rich, purple-blue blooms all summer as long as it gets a full day of sunlight.
The drought tolerance of lavender is what makes it such a great plant. (It’s one of our top selections for drought tolerant plants.)
During the first growing season, lavender is just slightly thirsty, so you’ll need to water them frequently. Water isn’t much of a worry once they’ve established.
You’ll need to put them together with plants that are similarly drought tolerant in order to take advantage of this. Yarrow, as well as a few Mediterranean herbs, are excellent choices. The top lavender companion plants are listed below.
Lavender grows well in USDA zones 5 to 9, with temperatures that range from mild to moderate. Although lavender can tolerate cold and heat, it does not like wet soil or high humidity.
To avoid your lavender from being killed by damp, make sure there is enough airflow and plenty of sunlight.
Mounding Plants Draw the Eye
The artemisia blues and pinks along this garden border provide the perfect contrast for darker plants.
The eye is drawn down along with the curves of rounded, flowing plants, so you take in the whole border slowly.
The border remains dynamic due to a difference in heights, but the similar colors do not interrupt the rhythm. All ranges of pastels, particularly pink, are enhanced by silvery hues.
Espalier trees
For narrow borders, espalier, fan, and cordon-trained trees are a good option. They take up little space against the wall, but may provide foliage, flowers, and fruits.
Apples, pears, apricots, and peaches are all examples of trees that may be trained in this manner. Learn three methods for training a fruit tree.
CHOOSE GIANT PERENNIALS
Fill in the gaps with an airy mounds of quick growing, easygoing perennials that provide color, structure, and texture. They have a trendy appearance.
Selinum (milk parsley) has large creamy saucers and emerald green fern-like foliage, while hazy purple thalictrum (meadow rue) creates clouds of tiny flowers.
In a wild and romantic way, these borders will look great for months.
Planting expert Sarah Raven(opens in new tab) says, “Everyone loves thalictrum, and it’s easy to see why. The delicate lacy petals make it one of the most beautiful plants in your yard, while gorgeous selinum provides the perfect foil.”
Wedgewood Blue
Lilacs aren’t usually considered an edging plant when you think of them. Syringa plants can reach heights of up to 10 feet.
The Wedgewood blue, a smaller form that adds delicate lavender tones to any border, is however nestled among these plants. It’s a good option for small walkways that lack a statement piece since it only grows to about 4 or 6 feet.
Delicate pink buds give way to stunning pastel purple blooms in this lilac variety. Their tranquil blue picture will stand out in any environment, or they may be paired with similar soft blue-purple colors.
This variety of lilacs is no different in terms of care. USDA zones 3-7 are ideal for Wedgewood blues, which need full sun.
They should at least receive six hours of sunlight every day. They may survive some shade, but their bloom will be restricted if they do.
To flourish, Wedgewood blues need a rich loamy soil that drains well.
Clay soils may support some of their growth, but you run the risk of stunting them and restricting their blooms if you do. Lilacs are susceptible to root rot, so make sure not to soak the ground too much.
This plant takes a few deep watering after being planted.
However, unless you want to apply your Wedgewood blues more often during periods of drought or high temperatures, since it prefers dry soil, it will suffice.
Lilacs, for example, don’t like hot and humid summers.
They can withstand harsh winter temperatures, but the following season, they must be protected from biting winds and pushed through to bloom.