Creating Great Garden Borders?

[BetterHensandGardens]

So I just wrote a blog post on a new process I was following to try and help me build better looking mixed (foliage and flower) borders (it's here: http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/2011/08/10/building-beautiful-garden-borders/ ) and it made me wonder what everyone here does to build beautiful borders? Do you have any tricks, etc.? I'm just a weekend gardener (no training in landscaping), but love working on creating beautiful things with plants!

 

[thistlebloom]

Good post BHG, that's the thing I struggle with also, creating a flow and a harmonious look throughout the entire season. It's difficult , and I do think that some gardens peak at different weeks or months, so that what was a magazine perfect picture 2 weeks ago, may be looking a little more like a rummage sale next week.
If it's any comfort, even famous landscape designers continually move things and add and subtract plantings to get things just right. A year or so ago I read an article by a well known, elderly designer (how embarrassing, I don't recall her name...) and she stated that she was finally happy with how her borders looked, after planting them originally 30 years earlier!

I think I may finally have my little "picket garden" dialed in, after about 5 years of playing with it.
I told my husband that and he just looked at me and patted my head.... "I'm sure you'll find something to change....."
Of course it's never really done, things die, or grow too big, or clash with a new favorite.
But that keeps the nurseries happy I guess.

eta- I also meant to compliment you on your method of selecting new plants, that's a good way to do it.
My method (not recommended ) is to "happen" to be at a nursery,see a plant I love, bring it home and shoehorn it into position.
Then move it's neighbors or whatever to get the scene to work.

And I love all the hyssops!

 

[lesa]

Great topic. I am pretty happy with my borders and gardens, until now (late summer/fall). The only thing that is really popping are the black eyed susan's and the ornamental cabbage. Anyone have any fall suggestions that they are using? Mums are an obvious choice- I guess I could use them for color...

 

[thistlebloom]

I know what you mean Lesa, my borders are largely yellow in late summer, but the pink beebalm (which coincidentally is NWMTgardeners favorite ) is still blooming, the clematis are going and the Jacob Cline beebalm which is a brilliant red will keep going for another 2 or 3 weeks. Lets see, the coneflower is doing well with more buds to open, and that's in a variety of colors.
How about hydrangeas? Some of them are late, like the panicle hydrangeas, and they have some new colors developed.

 

[vfem]

That is some good information! I need to start bringing samples with me when I'm out, because I go with a plan and then get side tracked & overwhelmed with all the options when I get to the nursery.

Like you, at some point in the season, flowers mish-mash and loose color or blooms. Then what is thriving doesn't really 'go' with the plan any longer. Like you, I'm already planning on moving some plants in the fall, and a few in the spring to try again for next year. I've also learned that some places are lacking good water retention and I need to start bringing in succulents to fill in spots & pots that don't seem to thrive with my original plan.

Thanks for making me realize its not only me!

 

[Carol Dee]

eta- I also meant to compliment you on your method of selecting new plants, that's a good way to do it.
My method (not recommended ) is to "happen" to be at a nursery,see a plant I love, bring it home and shoehorn it into position.
Then move it's neighbors or whatever to get the scene to work.

Thistle, that is my style. Works for me.

My sister on the other hand draws it all out. Plans for months. Figures mature size and color and bloom time so she has a non-stop show. How disgusting! (Well really I wish some of that would rub off on me.)

 

[NwMtGardener]

*sigh* yes that danged pink bee balm is still blooming. And not only Do i just not like it cause its pink, but i had deliberately planted it tucked right next to a cool red tricycle we had rescued at the dump. So here i wanted red bee balm to go with the red trike, and i got this pink monstrosity!! I'll be giving it to a friend this fall, when i do some bed rearranging. Imagine that, i'm just not happy with my plant placement, even after 6 years. Okay, probably not even after 50! My gardens, as well as most everyone else's, it sounds like, are a constantly evolving art form

And besides blanket flower, which was already mentioned, i love 'autumn joy' sedum for fall blooming. Beware, however - the deer have been munching the ones i put in the bed at the farm i work at. And lavender gives color pretty late into the fall, if you dont cut all the blooms off like me, to dry!

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

eta- I also meant to compliment you on your method of selecting new plants, that's a good way to do it.
My method (not recommended ) is to "happen" to be at a nursery,see a plant I love, bring it home and shoehorn it into position.
Then move it's neighbors or whatever to get the scene to work.

Thistle, that is my style. Works for me.

My sister on the other hand draws it all out. Plans for months. Figures mature size and color and bloom time so she has a non-stop show. How disgusting! (Well really I wish some of that would rub off on me.)

The letting it "happen" at the nursery wasn't getting the results I wanted fast enough I guess, so I thought a more structured approach would help. But I haven't gone as far as your sister's approach!