Border Plants

Planning your perennial border: a layered approach

Choosing the right plants for your garden border depends on several key factors: your garden's position (sun or shade), your soil type, and, crucially, flowering times. Planning for succession, where one plant's display takes over as another fades, is key to a border that performs all year.

Your border doesn’t need to be costly to create – just take a look at our guide to creating a perennial border on a budget for some frugal ideas, and follow the planting tips in our article to get the best out of your perennials.

A classic and highly effective technique is to think of your border in three distinct layers:

Perennials for the front of the border

Low-growing perennials (typically under 30-40cm) are great for softening the hard edges of paths or lawns. They create visual continuity, spilling outwards to draw the eye in. They also cleverly hide the bare lower stems of taller plants behind them. Hardy geraniums, alchemilla mollis, and sedum are all great choices.

Perennials for the middle of the border

This is where you place your statement makers and reliable fillers. These plants provide the main burst of colour and form, linking the front and back layers. Good choices include salvia nemorosa, astrantia penstemon, rudbeckia, and yarrow, as these are plants with either clump-forming habits, striking flower shapes, or bold foliage, all of which create impact.

Perennials for the back of the border

The border’s back layer is all about height and drama. Tall perennials create the backdrop for the entire scheme, drawing the eye upwards and providing a strong vertical accent. They are perfect for adding punctuation to a long border or for planting against a wall or fence. We recommend delphiniums, lupins, foxgloves and Meadow Rue.

When is the best time to plant border perennials?

The best times to plant border perennials are autumn and spring, and either time is good. In autumn, the soil is still warm, allowing plants to establish a strong root system before winter. Spring planting is ideal for any perennials that are half-hardy, as it protects them from winter wet and cold. Never plant into waterlogged or frozen ground.

Will my new perennial plants flower in their first year?

This depends on the plant's maturity and type. Many of our potted perennials, such as salvia, achillea, and geranium, will flower in their first summer. Other perennials, particularly larger bare-root plants like peonies, follow the gardener's adage: ‘first year sleep, second year creep, third year leap’. They focus on root development in year one before putting on a spectacular display from year two onwards.

How do I get colour in my border all year round?

Achieving colour in a border is done with a process known as 'successional planting'. The key is to choose a mix of plants that flower at different times.

• Spring: Combine early bloomers like pulmonaria and brunnera.
• Summer: Peak season for stars like delphiniums, lupins, penstemon, and rudbeckia.
• Autumn: Extend the season with late performers like asters, sedum, and Japanese anemones.
• Winter: Fall back on the structure of evergreen perennials like heuchera and carex , along with the seed heads of plants like sea holly.

What is the difference between plug plants and potted perennial plants?

• Potted Plants are established plants that are ready to be planted directly into your border. They provide almost instant results, and are an easy, reliable way to start.
• Plug Plants are younger plants that are very cost-effective to buy. They’re ideal for gardeners on a budget or those looking to fill a large area. Plugs need 'potting on' into slightly larger pots for a few weeks to grow on before they’re ready for their final position in the border.

What are the best low-maintenance perennials for a border?

While all plants require some care, many perennials are reliably low-fuss. For a rewarding, yet low-maintenance scheme, look for hardy geraniums, sedum, rudbeckia, and astrantia. Once established, their main requirements are simply cutting back the old foliage once a year and perhaps dividing the clumps every 3-5 years if they become congested.

How do I prepare my border for planting?

Good preparation is the secret to a successful border.

1. Clear all weeds: Be meticulous and remove all roots, especially from perennial weeds.
2. Improve the soil: Dig over the area and incorporate plenty of well-rotted organic matter, such as garden compost or manure. This improves soil structure, drainage, and nutrient content.
3. Rake level: Rake the surface to a fine, level tilth (with an even, crumbly texture) before you begin laying out your plants.

Which border plants are best for attracting wildlife?

A perennial border is a fantastic resource for pollinators. Plants with open, single flowers are ideal for attracting bees, butterflies and hoverflies. Excellent choices from our range include coneflower, salvia, yarrow, knautia macedonica, and aster. Later in the season, the seed heads of plants like eryngium and rudbeckia provide valuable food for British garden birds.