Designing a border part 2: choosing plants

Part 2

In this second blog post in our designing a border series, we’ll share our top tips for the fun part – choosing your plants. Catch up on part 1.

Choosing plants for your border

Choose a mix of colour, shape and texture

The golden rule for creating an interesting border is to choose a mix of contrasting colour, shape and texture.

It’s a good idea to gather pictures of any plants you’re interested in and put them next to each other to see what contrasts nicely. There are lots of free moodboard templates online to help you see what looks good together.

For contrasting colour, a colour wheel can help. Colours that are opposite each other on the wheel will give you great contrast and help the other colour pop.

Contrasting shape could be as simple as putting smaller plants with bigger plants. Or it could be different shaped leaves. Try combining plants with different growing habits, such as low growing ground cover plants with taller, bushy plants. 

Choosing a mix of shapes will help each plant to stand out, rather than becoming an indistinct mass.

Contrasting textures might be pairing delicate, wispy grasses with leafy evergreens. Or big blousy blooms with tiny, masses of flowers.

A mix of textures will create lots of interesting things to look at without all the plants merging into one.

Layer up
The most interesting borders have plants at different heights to create layers.

Trees and shrubs form the top layer, with perennials, annuals and bulbs popping up in between and even underneath.

Adding low growing plants that spread brings interest and shelter at the bottom of the border, as well as helping keep weeds down.

Plan for year round interest
To stop your border becoming a sea of bare ground between September and March, it’s important to choose a range of plants that give you interest at different times of year.

Break down the year and make sure you have something going on in every season For example:

Spring
With the right succession of spring bulbs, you can have something going on from January to June. Snowdrops and crocus come first, followed by daffodils, then tulips and alliums, and finally camassias.

Summer
Choose a mix of plants that flower in early summer, mid-summer and late summer to keep the colour going for longer. Aim for plants with a long flowering season – it means less work for you.

Autumn
Late summer flowers will likely still be going in our increasingly warm Septembers and Octobers. Pair them with grasses that will glow in the low autumn light.

Winter
Evergreen shrubs are your winter best friends, giving your border structure and interest in the bleakest months. Go for winter flowering specials like Sarcococca and Viburnum, or even witch hazel which will fill the garden with sweet fragrance.

If your other plants are still standing, leave them as long as possible for insects and small creatures to use as cover. They also look beautiful covered in frost on crisp sunny days.

Check your plants will fit

Once you’ve got an idea of potential plants for your border, draw them at their final width (sometimes called spread) on your measured-out plan.

Don’t be tempted to cram in more plants than the space can cope with.

Plants need plenty of room for air to move around them to avoid pests and diseases. Plus some plants will crowd out others meaning you’ll have to move them anyway.

Bear in mind plants’ different heights. Make sure you’re not planting anything small behind something big or you won’t be able to see it.

You can refer to plant labels (or ask us) to work out the spread of any new plants. Draw them out to size on your plan to check they’ll fit in the space.

Buy your plants
Armed with your shortlist of plants, now it’s time to get shopping.

Choose a reputable nursery or garden centre who look after their plants (that’s us!). Look for plants grown in peat-free compost. If you’re ever in doubt, ask staff for advice.

Go for healthy looking plants that are free from pests and disease.

At Woodthorpe Park plant nursery we grow and sell a wide range of trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and bulbs and constantly change our stock.

|Our friendly staff are on hand to help you find what you’re looking for, including alternatives if your preferred plant is not available.

Look out for the final blog in this designing a border series coming soon: planting your border.