I removed and widened a new bed last year and was determined to extend the season as it had always been a bit of a one hit wonder. I’ve tried to spread the flowering out much more, right now it’s got bearded irises and Nepeta grabbing the limelight. The cirsium has been flowering for weeks, but I’ve added loads of gladioli Byzantinus (although the rabbits have had most of them) to fill all the gaps in between perennials until they start flowering, along with loads of allium sphaerocephalon to take over from them and then nerine Bowdenii to do the job later in the year, and Tulips in the spring. So far I’m really pleased with it, it’s had colour of one sort of another since winter and the bulk of the summer planting is still just in bud.
Up to now I’d always had loads flowering in mid summer but a mass of green most of the time.
It’s well worth sitting down and planning what flowers when, and then filling the gaps accordingly
I took some photos yesterday, at the moment I have London Pride, Dicentra, marigolds, geraniums, Shasta daisies, foxgloves, poppies, Astrantia, Anthyrinums , peonies and a few more all in bloom now. The only plants I’ve bought are the peonies.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Thank you @Busy-Lizzie@Fairygirl for your kind words. Yes the fence is mine. I have a 2 tier garden. I have a honeysuckle that doesnt smell so might change thet out x
Hi there. How do you lovely gardeners keep your borders looking lovely? My border is boring 😱 It was lovely a couple of weeks ago with tulips. I planted alliums they seem to have gone missing this year. Later in the year ill have crocosmia & rudbekias. Now its just green and green and green. How do people have room to have a 3/4 season border? Are you gardeners less shove a plant in than me? This one is chocker. Ive tried so hard over the last few years but it still doesnt look great. I attached a pic. Any suggestions on how to put a bit of oomph into it. Thank you x
I'll make one suggestion, although it might not be practical for you. One of the first things my wife insisted on when we moved into our current garden was that all the borders must be curved. So we set to with string and pegs and extended them - some a lot, others only slightly. But I have to say, it really did make a big difference after they'd matured for a year or two.
Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
@VictorMeldrew. Thank you for the suggestion - but dont judge me its fake grass. We struggle with the light. I think we have a NW garden The sun only falls on the border & 1/2 the grass from now until early Sept & so the grass was a mushy, yellow mess for the majority of the cutting year & so we decided to get shut. Luckily on the bottom tier we have the sun the majority ofthe day so at least we can eat out for breakfast til evening meal
I echo what other said about your combination of leaf shapes @Ruthie_Q, I think it is missing some spires though, so that could be a good way of introducing colour at this time of year, lots of spear shaped flowers are quite narrow so could fit in amongst your existing planting.
Smaller varieties of Foxgloves, delphiniums, might work well for adding colour at this time of year depending on where you are, or popping a few alliums would work well too, and you could cut the foliage away as your other plants come to the fore
Iris are popping at the moment, at least in my part of the world. And Heuchera, which often rebloom well if the blooms are cut back after the first flush. Foxgloves will help. Early blooming dahlias might help with the gaps, such as Mexican Star, which is currently budding, where I am.
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I'll make one suggestion, although it might not be practical for you. One of the first things my wife insisted on when we moved into our current garden was that all the borders must be curved. So we set to with string and pegs and extended them - some a lot, others only slightly. But I have to say, it really did make a big difference after they'd matured for a year or two.
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful