12 Steps to a Beautiful Border
Planning a border for your garden can be an exciting and creative process. It’s really worth the time and effort planning plants and their placing, however. It needn’t be a total plant refresh either, a tweak here and a plant move there can make the world of difference to creating the look and feel you want. Perhaps your garden needs an expanded colour palette, planting that will take you through the seasons or a general refresh.
If you’re planning any of this, here are 12 easy steps and questions to think about when giving your home gets the outside space it deserves:
1. Assess your site:
Evaluate the location where you want to create the border. Consider factors like sunlight exposure, soil type, drainage, and existing features such as trees or structures. This will help you choose plants that thrive in those conditions.
2. Determine the purpose:
Decide what you want to achieve with your border. Do you want it to be a focal point, provide privacy, attract pollinators, or create a specific ambiance? Understanding the purpose will guide your plant selection and design choices.
3. Set the dimensions:
Measure the length and width of the border area. This will help you determine the appropriate size and quantity of plants needed.
4. Choose a theme or style:
Decide on a theme or style for your border. It could be formal, informal, cottage-style, native plants, or any other theme that aligns with your preferences and the overall aesthetic of your garden.
5. Select your plants:
Research and choose a variety of plants that suit your chosen theme, soil conditions, and climate. Consider factors like plant height, when they’re in flower time, colour, and texture to create visual interest throughout the seasons. Think about your structure planting too – evergreens, grasses, structural shrubs, trees. These will become the backbone to your planting, your year round interest and the foil for your seasonal perennials and annuals.
6. Create a list:
Make a list of the selected plants - including information about height, spread, flowering time, and any specific care requirements.
7. Design the layout:
Sketch a rough outline of your border on paper or use a design software or app. Consider the heights, colours, and textures of the plants and how they will complement each other. Arrange them based on their mature sizes, placing taller plants toward the back, shorter towards the front.
8. Plan for diversity:
Aim for a mix of plants with varying heights, shapes, and bloom times. This will ensure year-round interest and prevent the border from looking great in one season and lacking interest for the rest of the year.
9. Consider companion planting:
Research companion plants that can benefit each other by deterring pests, providing shade or support, or attracting different pollinators.
10. Add hardscape elements:
Think about incorporating hardscape elements like plant supports, obelisks and sculptural pieces into your border design to provide additional structure and visual appeal.
11. Account for maintenance:
Consider how much time you have for gardening and maintaining your planting. No garden is no maintenance but a lot of plants just need seasonal care and attention.
12. Plan your planting:
Whether you’re planting a single plant or planting up a whole border, placing your plant(s) in the border first and stepping back to see what they look like is a must. This will make sure you plant it in the right place before you sweat digging the hole! Every plant also has a good side. Make sure it’s this side that is in view.
Repetition of perennials, annuals and bulbs is an easy way to unify a planting scheme. Planting in groups of 3s, 5s,7s also gives more impact and is more effective. A single stemmed perennial can disappear in the garden but planting in groups can give real impact. Odd numbered planting looks more natural than planting in evens.
Remember that garden design is a creative process, and you can adjust and refine your plans as you go. Enjoy the journey of creating a beautiful border that brings joy and beauty to your garden!
If you’re planning a new border, want a bit of a refresh, or need to move a few things around and need some inspiration or advice to design and create your dream garden, get in touch. My garden design services are tailored to meet your requirements, however large or small.
Katie Townsend Garden Design is a small design studio in Edinburgh.
Working on a broad range of projects from courtyard gardens to small city gardens, and larger spaces, we cover Edinburgh, Glasgow and East and West Lothian. We also offer virtual design services throughout the UK.