Borders are often narrow and elongated, offering different design options than wider flower beds. In addition, they often decorate a fence, a house wall or another demarcation. You will find beautiful ideas on how to plant your borders below.
Ornamental grasses are often combined with beautiful perennials in borders
Plan the border planting
Before you go to the garden store to get plants for your border, you should take the time to plan the border planting. To do this, proceed as follows:
- Measure the length and width of your discounts and write down the measurements.
- Watch the course of the sun and note how much sun gets on the rebates and if there are parts that get less sun.
- Then sketch your discounts on a piece of paper.
- Think about how you want to delimit your discounts and mark the breadth of the delimitation. (See next point for options.)
- Then you can think about which plants you want to use. Plants of different heights are usually used: higher perennials or shrubs in the rear area, flowering perennials in the middle and small flowers or carpet plants at the edge. With narrower discounts, one or more rows may be omitted. Note the site conditions!
- Now consider whether you want to use decorative elements such as clay figures, metal figures, decorative planters, planted wagon wheels, water elements, etc.
- Finally, the soil of the borders can be covered with mulch, pebbles or similar to keep the soil moist and discourage weed growth.
Delimit the discounts
One of the most important design elements to consider before planting your borders is the border. Borders often line paths, driveways or roads and should be clearly demarcated from them. This not only leaves a visual impression, but also ensures that the plants do not spread beyond the edge. Natural stones or bricks or paving stones are usually used for the demarcation. However, elements made of wood are also possible.
The most beautiful design ideas
As I said, borders are often designed with shrubs in combination with perennials and cushion plants. Here are three alternative ideas:
The rock garden
Rock gardens are low-maintenance and easy to create. Larger ornamental grasses and possibly a few shrubs that need little water are often planted for rock garden borders. Here you will find an extensive selection of plants for your rock garden. In between, spread a few nice, large field stones or metal figures and finally spread a layer of pebbles so that the border shines completely white. If you want to put in a little more work, you can create a watercourse or build in a small pond.
The spilled carpet of flowers
Do you have some old clay jugs or planters on hand? Dig this in half so it looks like half a pitcher is lying on top of the border and plant a flowering ground cover from the opening that gets wider and wider the farther away it is from the tub.
climbing plants
Is your discounts on a house wall? Then equip them with trellis and plant climbing plants! Choose hardy plants such as Virginia creeper, clematis, wisteria or honeysuckle.