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Garden borders: 25 ideas for the perfect planting scheme

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Garden borders provide infinite opportunities for imaginative planting and are central to a successful garden design. And, with a bit of know-how, you can keep your garden borders looking colorful year-round, even in the depth of winter. 

Whether you like a landscaped, formal look, or would like to create a natural garden, follow these tips from horticulturalist Matt James and create luscious, thriving garden borders. Just grab your best gardening tools, and you're good to go.

1. Work with your garden's natural layout

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Working in harmony with your garden is always best. Garden plant ideas work when grown where they’re happiest – which will also mean they'll need less attention and will both flower and fruit better.

Spend time noting the characteristics of your beds and borders: are they sunny or shady? Wet or dry? Sheltered or exposed? Chances are you’ll find different growing conditions in different parts of the garden. Look carefully, and then choose appropriate plants to match each one.

2. Plan your planting scheme carefully

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

All good gardeners make their mistakes on paper, not on the ground, saving both time and money in the process. Use graph paper and draw on the outline of the area to be planted, preferably to scale (1cm on paper to 50cm on the ground –1:50 scale – is ideal for all but the most complicated schemes). Then, considering the scale you’ve selected, play with different arrangements until you find one that works. Plot plants with their mature size in mind to be sure they’ll fit.

3. Research and find inspiration

Planting beds surround this raised water feature with rendered walls designed by Ann Marie Powell and built by Garden House Design . The colourful planting is designed to develop and mature to soften the harder lines

(Image credit: Ann Marie Powell/Garden House Design)

Find combinations you like, look in books and magazines, and if growing conditions are the same as those in your garden, copy them. Neighboring gardens and labeled displays at nurseries are also useful for ideas.

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4. Consider maintenance carefully

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

How much time do you have? For young families and those at work all day, winter and summer bedding, rose bushes, fruit, vegetables and floppy perennials are too time-consuming.

If you're limited on gardening time, instead favor shrubs, tidy conifers, ornamental grasses and tough-but-colourful mat-forming perennials such as Stachys Byzantina ‘Silver Carpet’. All need little attention once established, and suffer few pests or diseases.

5. Choose a planting theme for your garden borders

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Picking a theme brings clarity and focus to the design process. Personal taste and how you plan to use the garden have an influence, but the space itself can offer clues as to what works best. For example, a sunny free-draining slope is perfect for an informal Mediterranean-inspired gravel garden. Visually, it won’t look out of place either.

6. Keep the border planting scheme simple

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Hold yourself back from including every plant on your shortlist, as the planting will look chaotic and unplanned. Aim to create a sense of harmony and unity by choosing a color palette or theme early on.

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Repetition in garden borders is the easiest way to unify a planting scheme. It’s also the one thing that marks out a ‘designed’ border, from one that happens by accident. Perhaps use the same hedging throughout or repeat evergreen perennials, or ornamental grasses in drifts at the front of beds and borders (where repetition is most obvious).

8. Use a variety of plants to create contrast

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

While harmony is important, so is diversity. Plants with distinctive colors and dramatic shapes, such as spiky palms and pencil junipers, make great focal points. But a little goes a long way, so use sparingly or the planting will look over-stimulating. With standard-sized borders (1.5-2m wide) one focal point plant every four to six metres should be enough.  

A lot of space to cover? A tree border would work, but again, less is more with tree borders – choose one or two species for a start. Shade gardens also prove that it's important to place plants where they will thrive the most.

9. Consider the color wheel in garden borders

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Color is a personal preference, but if you want to be more precise about it and create memorable plantings like the professionals, choose a classic combination, taking into account the color wheel. Colors opposite each other complement through dramatic contrast. Those adjacent are harmonious, and the easiest way to combine color over a large area.

You could pick the shades, tints and tones of one color only for a sophisticated monochromatic look. Or alternatively, choose an exciting triadic combination using three colors from the wheel, each spaced equidistantly apart. A multicolored scheme is also a possibility, but isn’t that easy to pull off successfully.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The easiest and most visually effective way to arrange plants is in layers, with borders backed by walls or fences, tall shrubs, tree borders, bamboo and lofty grasses first. Place roses, smaller shrubs, mid-sized perennials and ornamental grasses in the middle. Feature shorter shrubs, mounding perennials and ankle-high ground-cover plants in front.

However, try to avoid arranging everything like a series of steps. On occasion sweep low plantings towards the back, and taller ones to the front, to create depth and interest.

11. Make big garden borders

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Thin strips under 50cm wide will only allow for a low hedge, a wall shrub, or a line of tidy perennials arranged uncomfortably like soldiers on parade. Beds and borders in excess of two metres, however, can accommodate multi-layered mixed plantings with shrubs, roses and more natural drifts of perennials and grasses.

Some designs, naturalistic ‘prairie-like’ plantings in particular, need lots of space for the effect to be appreciated. In small gardens this might mean sacrificing lawn space – consider if you want to do this.

12. Create mixed borders in urban gardens

(Image credit: Suzie Gibbons)

In urban and suburban gardens, continuity of interest is important. The mixed border is best, as you can call on every plant group – trees, shrubs, roses, perennials, and bulbs – for interest, with each group sparkling at different times of the year.

13. Consider plants with autumn and winter in mind

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Plants with fiery autumn leaves, stunning seed heads, colorful fruits and berries, brilliant bark or evergreen leaves prolong seasonal interest and help to lift the spirits on drab days. When planning your garden borders, remember to consider seasons other than the summer!

14. Focus on shapes to add interest to garden borders

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

The shape of plants is just as important as flower color, and because it’s around for much longer (with woody plants, all year round), shape helps to structure the planting. The color and texture will then supply the finish.

15. Line path borders with bags of bulbs

(Image credit: Future / Kasia Fiszer)

Brilliant for seasonal interest in spring, summer and autumn, most bulbs cope with competition so can be planted to grow through frothy perennials, giving you two colour bursts from the same place – ideal where space is tight. Only large-flowered tulips need replacing each year.

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16. Add volume with shrubs

(Image credit: Lucy Willcox Garden Design)

Offering year-round interest for little effort, shrubs bring all-important ‘body’ to your borders, too. As a guide, most mixed plantings should contain at least 40 per cent, spaced evenly throughout the display, from the back right down to the front.

Evergreens with good form and shapely leaves should be first choice, especially in small spaces. Consider size at maturity carefully, though, as some shrubs can grow to monstrous proportions.

17. Cover all soil with plants

(Image credit: Future)

Plant plenty of ground-cover perennials and mat-forming shrubs to smother the soil and keep down weeds. But, don’t cram plants in cheek-by-jowl for an instant effect. Observe the correct spacing (your garden centre or nursery will help here), or be prepared to undertake some judicious pruning in a few years’ time.

18. The more the merrier in garden borders

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Never place each plant as a solitary specimen. This results in a bitty-looking display. Instead, plant in groups proportionate to the size of space.

In small gardens/borders, shrubs and roses planted in groups of three is common, unless they’re larger specimens, where one by itself is fine. For perennials and grasses, plant in groups of three to 12 plants, depending on the importance of the plant and how distinctive it is; some plants – particularly pastel-colored single-stemmed perennials, for example – are invisible by themselves.

19. Think vertical when planting borders

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Height is important for interest, contrast and to pull the eye skyward. Fastigiate (pencil-like) shrubs and climbers trained on wigwams are ideal. Take full advantage of walls and fences, too, perhaps combining tidy non-invasive climbers that flower at different times to prolong the season of interest. Roses and large-flowered summer clematis is a classic combination.

20. Fill garden borders with scented plants

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Scented plants enliven any garden, so try to include them when possible. There are so many different ones to choose from, but how powerful the perfume is will determine where they work best.

‘Free scents’, such as Dutch honeysuckle and white jasmine, perfume the air for yards and are generous, sometimes to a fault. ‘Up close and personal’ scents, such as from roses, witch hazel and Daphne, are more subtle, so position near areas you use the most. ‘Touchy-feely’ scents, such as from thyme, are released only when the plant’s leaves are picked; position in patio pots or next to paths, within easy reach.

21. Mix flowers and grasses in garden borders

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp Photography)

For a natural, free-flowing look, grasses make a great addition to garden borders that need bulking up. From the traditional Pampas grass to the delicate and wispy Stipa, mix them with flowers such as anemone and phlox for an effortless look. 

22. Add a tropical palm tree to your garden borders

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp Photography )

Break up a traditional garden border with an exotic palm tree for a more contemporary look. Fan palms, cotton palms (Washingtonias) and needle palms all tend to do well in milder climates. 

23. Use lawn edging to create a formal look for borders

(Image credit: Haddonstone)

Lawn edging can help create a formal look for your garden borders and zone your garden; it will also protect your border when you mow your lawn. There are tons of materials and styles to choose from, and what you choose will largely reflect your budget and your garden's style. 

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24. Garden border ideas for autumn: top plants

(Image credit: Unsplash/Rosario Janza)

Autumn presents many garden border ideas that are colorful and will keep you garden looking great well into December. Asters are the stars of the autumn garden, with many varieties blooming well into late October and sometimes November, if it's mild. Michaelmas daisies are a particularly popular variety, coming in wonderful shades of purple or dark pink.  Combine them with wispy grasses and evergreen shrubs for a stunning late-season display.  

(Image credit: Unsplash/Linus Mimietz)

Another autumn classic that is sometimes unfairly neglected is heather. Heather is a hardy, native plants that can provide plenty of interest throughout the colder months. Choose one of the Calluna vulgaris ‘Garden Girls’ varieties for bright spikes of color well into January. Heathers do require a sunny position, though.

(Image credit: Unsplash/Dalal Nizam)

25. Liven up a north-facing garden with a tree border

(Image credit: Thompson & Morgan)

Have a north-facing garden border that's not doing much? North-facing walls can look severe, but it's actually relatively easy to bring a shady garden border to life. Consider a layered planting scheme with a tree border at the back (choose shade-tolerant trees and shrubs such as yew and skimmia), and a textured display of shade-loving ferns at the front.  

20 Border Plants Perfect for Lining Your Path or Driveway

The Perfect Plants for Lining Your Path or Garden

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There are lots of ways you can dress up your landscape, and the details make all the difference. Your choice of garden edging for lawn and garden borders is one detail that can help unify the whole while adding a touch of your personal style. You aren’t limited to plastic, metal, and stone for your edging and pathway projects. Why not consider a “living” edge, using plants to define the borders?

Plants create a natural appearance. They are dynamic, adding motion, attracting wildlife like birds and butterflies, and contributing to year-round color or bloom progression along garden paths and around garden beds. Plant borders also complement and soften the edges of hardscape elements like pavers, arbors, garden art, stepping stones, and other outdoor structures.

A great border plant must be of a scale to fit within the overall landscape plan. It should stay in place without constant pruning. It must be suitable for the location and should not have acute pest or disease problems. The texture and color should complement the garden space.

Check out these 20 plants to use as lawn and garden borders.

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1. Monkey Grass (Liriope muscari)

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Monkey grass is a grass-like perennial that grows 12 inches tall and wide, in part sun to shade. It has been a favorite border plant for generations because of its attractive, deep evergreen foliage and purple muscari-like flower spikes in summer. Best of all, it is a low-maintenance clumping plant that stays where you plant it. USDA zones 5 to 10. Available from Bluestone Perennials; $12.95 per plant.

Related: 10 Affordable Landscaping Projects You Can DIY in a Day

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2. Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)

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Plant this semi-evergreen fern along woodland pathways or in dappled clearings, where it grows 18 to 24 inches tall and wide. Autumn fern gets its name from the copper-colored young fronds as they unfurl and later mature to deep green. The foliage persists well into winter. USDA zones 5 to 9. Available on Amazon; $9.95 per plant.

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3. Hosta (Hosta spp.)

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Hostas are a wonderful addition to any partial sun or full shade garden, where they excel as border plants. With a huge diversity of leaf patterns and sizes from which to choose, you are sure to find a perfect fit for your garden. Some stay well under 10 inches tall, while others grow to more than 2 feet. As a bonus, their white, blue, or purple flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds in mid-summer of USDA zones 3 to 9. Available from Longfield Gardens; $6.90 for 3 bulbs.

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4. Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.)

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These hardy, colorful, semi-evergreen foliage plants will brighten your shade or part sun landscape with mounding masses of purple, green, chartreuse, pink, or orange leaves. Coral bells grow 8 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 14 inches wide. Their bloom spikes can reach 18 inches, but the tiny flowers are very much an afterthought for most gardeners—although they attract a variety of pollinators. USDA zones 4 to 8. Available from Plant Addicts; $29.99 per plant.

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5. Mop Head Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

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The large pink, blue, purple or white globes of hydrangea flowers show up well in their preferred dappled sunlight garden locations.Use these medium-sized deciduous shrubs to separate garden rooms or corridors with masses of deep green foliage and beautiful blooms. The size and mounding growth habit of these woody shrubs make them suitable to either stand alone, or combine with a secondary perennial layer like autumn fern or hosta. USDA zones 5 to 11. Available on Amazon; $28.99 per plant.

Related: These 10 Flowering Plants Boast the Biggest Blooms

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6. Dwarf Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’)

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Ornamental grasses are perfect plants for sunny borders. Dwarf fountain grass is a clumping, warm-season grass that grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It has fine green foliage that sways in the gentlest breeze and produces pink “foxtail” blooms in late summer and early fall. USDA zones 5 to 9. Available on Amazon; 10 seeds for $5.

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7. Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.)

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Daylilies will brighten your sunny border with early summer flowers on clump-forming plants. You’ll have scores of colors and sizes from which to choose. Dwarf daylilies grow only 12 inches tall, while some standard cultivars might reach nearly 4 feet. Bloom colors include red, pink, yellow, orange, or purple. USDA zones 4 to 9. Available on Plant Addicts; $29.00 per pot.

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8.

Dwarf Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)

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A low, mounding, semi-evergreen or evergreen shrub with gracefully arching branches, dwarf abelia has what it takes to define a sunny shrub border without stealing the show. Consider one of several cultivars for a plant border, including green leaf, yellow variegated, and white variegated varieties. Their white blooms in middle to late summer are a welcome source of nectar for pollinators. USDA zones 6 to 9. Available from Proven Winners; $19.99 per pot.

Related: 9 of the Best Shrubs for Any Garden

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9. Winter Gem Boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. japonica ‘Winter Gem’)

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The glossy, deep green foliage of Winter Gem boxwood neatly complements a manicured lawn. It grows naturally to 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, but with seasonal pruning, you can easily keep it at 2 to 3 feet. This and other compact boxwoods make a fantastic border plant for formal gardens. USDA zones 5 to 9. Available on Amazon; $35.99.

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10. Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

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Line your sunny garden path or entrance walkway with French, Spanish, English, or hybrid lavender for a real treat. The silvery-green foliage releases its intense fragrance whenever you brush against it, and blue or purple flowers color the landscape each spring. Lavender plants grow 18 to 36 inches high, with a spreading growth habit. USDA zones 5 to 11. Available from High Country Gardens; $10.79.

Related: 20 Ways to Garden Without a Backyard

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11. Stonecrop (Sedum spp.)

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Growing between 6 and 20 inches tall, depending on the variety, this tough-as-nails border plant can withstand almost anything, including humans, deer, drought, and every type of moisture except for standing water. Gardeners can enjoy sedum's vibrant summer flowers or keep it mowed short and green. USDA zones 4 to 9. Available on Burpee; $11.95 to $13.95 for one plant.

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12. Scotch Moss (Sagina subulata ‘Aurea’)

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Planting a short ground cover before taller border plants adds to color and interest. Never growing more than an inch tall, this “moss” isn’t really moss at all. It thrives in warm, moist conditions, especially when given afternoon shade and not too much rain. If your house faces east in a temperate zone, consider using it as a ground cover to fill in between stepping-stones. USDA zones 3 to 9. Available on Amazon; $7.95 per plant.

Related: The Best Low-Maintenance Ground Covers for Your Garden

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13. Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus)

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This so-called “moss” from across the pond is another great choice for a low border plant that can fill in a stepping-stone pathway. It creates a particularly artsy effect when setting pavers close together, allowing only small streaks of stone to peek through the green. USDA zones 5 to 9. Available on Amazon; $7.95 for one plant.

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14. Creeping Thyme (Coccineus ‘Creeping Thyme’)

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Also called wild, elfin, or Breckland thyme, this ornamental herb has light purple flowers that come to life in late spring or early summer. It’s a pretty border plant for steps and terraces. Don’t worry if the plant gets a little trampled; when crushed, the blooms give off a fresh, sweet fragrance that lingers as you pass by. USDA zones 4 to 9. Available on Nature Hills; $31.95 per plant.

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15. Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)

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Reminiscent of Italian meadows, Roman chamomile is a charming addition to any border. One of the oldest known medicinal herbs, it thrives in cool, dry environments and requires little maintenance. The white and yellow flowers of German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) are similar. USDA zones 4 to 9. Available on Amazon; $6.49 for 25,000 seeds.

Related: 20 Plants That Survive With or Without You

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16. Garden Violet (Violet sororia)

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Sporting beautiful purple blooms in the spring, this popular plant creates a deep green cover throughout the year and offers quiet drama as a low border plant. As a bonus, it also attracts butterflies. USDA zones 5 to 9. Available on Amazon; $2.99 for 50 seeds.

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17. Veronica Speedwell (Veronica hybrids)

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Veronica, also known as speedwell, is a low clumping perennial perfect for sunny borders. Flowers appear as spikes above the foliage, and come in rich blues, purples, pinks, and even white. Ground cover varieties grow to about 6 inches high, and mounding varieties to about a foot tall. USDA zones 4 to 8. Available on Bluestone Perennials; $12.85 to $16.95.

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18. Blue Star Creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis)

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Blue star creeper has festive star-shaped blooms that emerge every spring. The low-cover, moisture-loving perennial is ideal for lining a pathway or filling in the spaces between pavers. USDA zones 6 to 9. Available on Amazon; $2.99 for 30 seeds.

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19. Creeping Mazus

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This fast-creeping plant provides thick, carpet-like coverage, and it blooms with lavender-colored flowers dotted with bright yellow centers in spring or early summer. Native to the Himalayas, it prefers full or partial sunlight and well-draining soil. USDA zones 5 to 8. Available on Bluestone Perennials; $9.95 per plant.

Related: 10 Foolproof Flowers Anyone Can Grow

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20. Happy Face Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa ‘Lundy’)

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For added drama along a paved pathway, plant these easy-to-maintain warm yellow flowers. Cinquefoil adds visual interest in the spring and summer and is salt tolerant. Deer ignore these pretty border plants. USDA zones 2 to 7. Available from Proven Winners; $19.99 for quart-size plant.

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species and classification, photos and names of border plants.

Details

Low-growing plants for framing garden paths are chosen from a huge range of ornamental perennials.

Thanks to this, flower borders and other decorative fences for a flower bed can be formed for a sufficiently long period.

Classification of border plants

Landscape design in front of the house implies the division of the territory into decorative and functional zones.

As a rule, paths are laid between them, which are decorated with live borders.

Herbaceous stunted and perennial shrub plants are used for this purpose.

Depending on the height, perennials for borders are divided into ground cover, undersized and dwarf crops.

Plants to be planted as borders

As a rule, there are both shaded and open areas in the home garden. Therefore, when choosing plants for the border, you need to take into account their light-loving nature. Under the canopy of trees they feel good: periwinkle, iris, astilbe, galanthus, hellebore, brunner, etc. Open areas are suitable for geyhera, aquilegia, daffodils, veronica, tulips.

Types of border plants

Perennial low-growing plants are often planted along the path. They do not need much care and do not require an annual planting. Resistance to sub-zero temperatures allows them to be used in regions with severe winters. nine0015

Alpine aster - has a bush shape. Small flowers with a yellow center, narrow blue or pink petals. Likes to grow in shady and sunny areas. Flowering time July. It grows well and does not need winter shelter.

Host - often used to create a green border. It has wide lanceolate leaves of dark and light shades of green. Some varieties of hosta have variegated leaves.

Violet, lilac or white racemes borne on tall, smooth stems about 25 cm high. Hosta likes moist soil and shady areas. Needs regular watering. nine0015

Border chrysanthemum is a bushy plant, about 30 cm long. Flowers of various colors are chamomile-shaped. Flowering occurs in mid-summer and lasts until the first frost. To form a lush bush, you need to pinch the shoots. Grows well in open areas.

Debut variety mini roses reach up to 38 cm. Dark red double flowers densely cover the downed bush. Flowering lasts from June to September.

Roses are propagated by cuttings of vegetative shoots, which should be planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other. For the winter period, young bushes are covered with a film frame and spruce branches. nine0015

Basic rules for creating a flower border

A flower border that will delight the eyes throughout the summer season is created from different types of plants. When spring comes, bulbous perennials are the first to bloom.

They are planted close to the edge of the garden path, behind them is a strip of herbaceous plants that bloom in summer. Low-growing crops that bloom in autumn should be placed along the outer perimeter of the border.

And now in more detail:

Bulbous perennials – snowdrops, tulips, daffodils – are planted in the first row of the flowering border. The path is also decorated with ground cover plants - carnation, awl-shaped phlox, grass. nine0015

The middle row of the roadside curb is filled with undersized perennials. For these purposes, hosta, dwarf chrysanthemum, bergenia are suitable. Unpretentious perennials will cover departed primroses with their shoots and leaves;

The flower border will be completed by low-growing ornamental shrubs - Japanese spirea, border rose, low-growing barberry. Their height should be no more than 40 cm, so as not to block the view of landscape compositions and flower beds on the site.

When designing a flower border, perennial plants should be selected according to their color scheme. The coloring can be sustained in shades of one scale or on contrasting combinations. In order for the harmonious lines of the pattern not to stop, the plants are planted tightly to each other. nine0015

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Popular border flowers for garden paths

Compact perennials or annuals are traditionally used as border flowers, which can grow densely and remain attractive all summer and warm autumn. Border plants perform not only a decorative, but also a useful function, because they prevent the growth of weeds.

Some border crops are also successfully grown in pots (eg cineraria, callisia). Such plants are able to decorate any interior. Ordering indoor flowers in Kremenchug and other cities of Ukraine is extremely simple. You can contact specialists and order delivery around the clock. nine0015

Perennial border flowers

Flowering perennials have the main advantage of being long-lived. Once taking the time to plant flowers, in the future for several years, or even decades, it will be possible to forget about their transplantation and reproduction. However, not everything is always so rosy. Certain varieties of perennials may not survive frosty winters, get sick, or simply not adapt to new living conditions.

Arabis

Herbaceous perennial border plant about 20 centimeters high, belonging to the Cabbage family. Arabis bushes are dotted with small buds with white, pink or purple petals. The culture loves good lighting, reproduces in a generative way and is unpretentious to the type of substrate. nine0015

Gravilat

A perennial from the Rosaceae family, distinguished by tall, straight stems (60-70 cm) and large bright inflorescences. The color of the buds is the most diverse, but yellow and orange in all shades are most common. The flowering period is long, until the first frost. As border plants, undersized varieties such as "mountain" and "chilean" are most often cultivated. Gravilates are not picky about soils, but they will not take root in waterlogged and acidic substrates. nine0015

Creeping tenacious

Creeping tenacious is a ground cover crop. It grows in the form of dense spreading shrubs up to a mark of 15-20 centimeters. In total, about 40 plant species are known. It is interesting that the sheet plates of the tenacious have a decorative value. Leaves can be not only rich green, but also crimson, purple and even fiery orange. The tenacious blooms with spike-shaped inflorescences dotted with small buds with lilac, blue or blue petals. nine0015

Stonecrop, or sedum

This is a whole genus of succulent plants, to which the Caucasian stonecrop belongs - the most popular stonecrop for borders. The culture is low, up to 20 cm. It blooms with umbellate inflorescences with densely growing small flowers resembling stars. Stonecrop grows rapidly, has large fleshy leaves that do not leave voids between themselves. The plant loves good lighting, frost-resistant, but reacts negatively to stagnant water in the soil. nine0015

Feverfew

Another compact border perennial that grows as a spreading shrub. The flowering period lasts from July until the first frost. Inflorescences are baskets with small, up to 3 cm, buds with white petals and yellow centers. Feverfew girl is calm about drought and shade.

Volovik, or anhuza

Volovik belongs to the Borage family, grows up to a mark of almost a meter, the leaves are green with small villi, give off a bluish tint, have a slightly “disheveled” appearance. Of particular decorative value are the fluffy inflorescences of the culture, which are covered with small pale blue buds. The flowering period lasts throughout July and August. Anhuza is unpretentious, but does not like waterlogged soils. nine0015

Volzhanka

This is a dicotyledonous perennial plant that has fluffy snow-white inflorescences and large leaves with carved edges. There are tall and short varieties of Volzhanka, the latter often find their application in decorating not only borders, but also artificial reservoirs. The culture feels good in moist soils.

Canna

Canna is an exotic flower native to Latin America. It is distinguished by large leaf plates and beautiful buds with pink-orange petals, which are so similar to gladioli. The culture can grow in shading, loves regular watering (without moisture stagnation). The disadvantage of the plant is that it will not survive our winters. Therefore, in the second half of autumn, the dried flower is cut off, and the rhizome is dug up in order to plant it again with the advent of spring. nine0015

Lily of the valley

Lilies of the valley are loved for their beautiful glossy leaves and delicate white flowers. Moreover, the leaves remain attractive until mid-autumn. Culture quietly grows and develops in the shade.

Echinacea

This perennial from the Asteraceae family is not only attractive (resembling a large chamomile), but also distinguished by its hardiness. The culture prefers good lighting and loose soils, blooms from July until frost. The petals of the buds are painted in all shades of pink, orange and yellow. nine0015

Khosta

Perennial of the Asparagus family with Far Eastern origin. It is highly valued for its ornamental leaves with simple or variegated coloration. At the same time, simple ones can be planted in the shade, and bright ones - in areas with diffused light. Hosta grows in dense plantations up to 20 cm high. Its purple-red large leaves serve as an excellent decoration of the territory. There are also varieties with milk and silver leaf plates. Culture loves partial shade. nine0015

Brunnera

Another great perennial for the border. Its large round leaves cover all voids, and blue buds are very reminiscent of forget-me-nots. Flowering begins with the arrival of summer and lasts, including warm autumn. Brunner needs regular watering.

Catnip

Spike-shaped inflorescences of catnip are dotted with small purple buds that bloom from June to November. For borders, you should give preference to low-growing varieties such as Mussini and Fassena. The culture is undemanding to the type of soil and care, it is easily propagated by seeds. nine0015

Anemone

Anemone is notable for its patterned leaves and large buds in white, red, purple, pink, cream and other colors. Anemones do not take root in soils with high acidity and do not like bright light. Grown as plants for mixborders and for high borders.

Meconopsis, or Himalayan poppy

Meconopsis can be an excellent option for decorating the second plan of borders. They are distinguished by high peduncles (up to 100 cm), long serrated leaves and delicate buds, painted in blue, yellow or white. The Himalayan poppy loves soils with low acidity, lighted areas and does not tolerate stagnant moisture. The culture will not survive the frost, so its rhizome is dug up until spring. nine0015

Alpine aster

It grows as a small shrub up to 26-30 cm high. However, its buds are quite large, very reminiscent of chamomile aster. Culture loves alkaline soils and well-lit areas.

Liatris

A beautifully flowering herbaceous perennial of the Asteraceae family, reaching a height of 90 cm. The erect stem is covered with narrow arrow-shaped leaves, the inflorescence is spikelet, fluffy, consists of small flowers. The color of the buds is white, purple or red. Liatris love sunny beds and loose nutrient substrate. nine0015

Leucanthemum, or garden chamomile

Leucanthemum is a popular garden plant with a height of 30-100 centimeters. It is characterized by abundant flowering and it does not matter where the culture will grow - in the sun or in the shade. Daisies are most often traditionally white with a bright yellow center, but you can also find species with yellow or milky petals. Culture loves airy neutral soils.

Scabiosa

There are both perennial and annual scabioses. Among the latter, the most popular are pigeon scabiosa and Caucasian scabiosa with hemispherical and spherical inflorescences, respectively. Both varieties are the progenitors of many hybrid species with a variety of colors. The culture grows well on rich soils with good lighting. Does not survive during severe frosts. nine0015

Annual border flowers

Annual border flowers are more abundant than perennial flowers. Annuals can be grown both in the form of separate living fences, and they can be planted in the voids between perennials. And the short life of plants gives a wider field for the imagination of homeowners, because you can experiment with border flowers every year.

Alyssum

Alyssum is a small plant that blooms all three summer months. Dense inflorescences, consisting of small flowers, look very elegant and emit a subtle sweet aroma. The buds can be painted white, pink, purple or yellow. The culture is grown by seed. Seeds should be sown in April. nine0015

Cineraria

Cineraria is often used in ornamental gardening and is valued for its silver colored coral leaves. The culture is unpretentious to light, grows poorly in waterlogged soils.

Lobelia

A member of the Campanula family that grows in dense thickets. Leaves and buds are small. The color of the flowers - from blue and lilac to pale pink tones. You need to propagate the culture by seedlings. Lobelia blooms especially brightly in sunny areas and in fertile soils. nine0015

Iberis

Perennial and annual Iberis are known. The culture can be ground cover or with upright shoots. The buds are small, grow in fluffy inflorescences. Coloring is presented in a wide color palette. Plant seeds should be sown in late autumn or immediately after the snow melts. The flowering period begins in July.

Nasturtium

Popular herbaceous plant with bell-shaped buds in bright, sunny colors. Nasturtium loves rich soils, fertilizing and lighted areas. Propagated by seeds, which must be sown at the end of spring. nine0015

Verbena

Verbena can grow up to 50 cm in length, but dwarf varieties are also found. It blooms with small flowers of different colors (sometimes you can find two-color verbenas). Flowering lasts from summer to cold snaps. If the crop is grown in the southern regions, where there are no frosty winters, it can turn into a perennial.

How to create border compositions

To make border compositions look harmonious, you need to follow some tips:

Border flowers are also used to create mixborders. Mixborders are oblong-shaped flower beds. They are formed from plants of different varieties, different heights and bud colors. Also, quite often, landscape designers use one tricky trick: they plant crops with different flowering periods in mixborders. So it is possible to achieve the appearance of endless flowering. At the same time, tall plants are key in the composition, and low flowers are necessary to emphasize their beauty. If there are voids, it is better to fill them with ground cover crops or any other with decorative foliage.

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