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Front of Border Advice

Alfie_Alfie_ Posts: 456
in Plants
Hi,

I would like some advice on the pattern for the front of a new border. I have all the plants selected. I just wanted advice things like which ones to put together, how to
alternate them etc. 

The border is 3m wide. Most have 50-60cm spreads so 6-7 plants will fit as they will need to overlap a bit. 

I am after a cottage garden look. 

These are the front of border plants I have:

Lavender Hidcote x 2
Penstemon Sour Grapes M Fish x 3
Nepeta Walkers Low x4
Phlox Bill Baker x 1
Gernanium Patricia x2

I know I won’t need all of them as there are 12 plants there. I don’t even need to use all the varieties in this border.

All of them have about 60cm height. 

Any advice on which ones to use and how to arrange them for a 3m wide border is much appreciated. 

Posts

  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    I suppose you mean your border is 3m long! How wide is it?
  • Alfie_Alfie_ Posts: 456
    edited July 2023
    No sorry it is 3m long so across (left to right). It is also 3m deep (front to back). 
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Please be advised that nepeta Walkers Low, like a lot of nepetas, droops when in flower so don't put it too near the front of the border or you will forever be stepping over prone flower stems with their accompanying cohort of bees.
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Alfie_ said:
    No sorry it is 3m long so across (left to right). It is also 3m deep (front to back). 
    So it's a square (3m x 3m)?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    What else is in the bed @Alfie_?
    If those plants are all roughly the same dimensions [although that varies with conditions - soil, climate etc] it would be better to mix them through the bed or you risk having a row of 'blobby' plants all the same.
    If you have some taller, verticals that you can mix in, and a few lower growing plants, that would be better. Some differing foliage too ,and also some planting for earlier and later in the year.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Alfie_Alfie_ Posts: 456
    edited July 2023
    @Fairygirl thanks for the advice. Ok, so here is the border in question:



    I have planted the front now but very easy to move around if you think there is a better combination. From left to right at the front I have three penstemon sour grapes > two nepeta walkers low > phlox bill baker > two of the same nepeta to finish. The phlox is lower so creates some change in height.

    I have two 2.2m obelisk with roses on (only planted this year). The smaller black obelisk is coming out. I have two Gabriel Oak roses in the middle (one on the left has some disease issues I'm dealing with). I have marked out a 2ft area around the two gabriel Oak roses as they have a spread of 4ft. That will take it up to the left obelisk but I've planted some dahlias there as a filler for this year. 

    There is room for taller plants in between the stick boundary on the right and the far right obelisk. I do have a reasonable selection of mid and back border plants that have been potted on a few times and ready to go in. 

    Here are my mid and back border plants:

    Campanula Loddon Anna (1.5m)
    Achillea Lilac Beauty (0.8m)
    Eupatorium (2.2m)
    Penstemon Just Jayne (0.8m)
    Geranium Patricia (0.6m)
    Knautia Macedonica (0.8m)
    Astrantia Roma (0.75m)
    Salvia Uliginosa (1.5m)
    Sedum Matrona (0.8m)

    So the gaps to fill will be:

    > next to and in line with left obelisk - one Campanula I was thinking.
    > in between the left obelisk and those new front border plants - so mid border plants as if they are too tall they will block the obelisk. I am planning on moving the plants in front of this obelisk (3 x oriental poppy). 
    > there is no space between the front sticks and the new front border plants.
    > the space where the spade is. Again, mid border I was thinking to not block the obelisk. 
    > in between and in line with right obelisk and stick boundary of Gabriel Oak - was thinking another Campanula and/or that Salvia. 
    > Finally all the way along the back behind the line of the two obelisk and Gabriel Oak. Was thinking of the Eupatroium with some hollyhocks and verbena as I grow a lot of these in other borders. (*I do plan on cutting back the hawthorn as it is very far forward of its main trunks). 

    Any advice is greatly appreciated. I have lots of potted on plants (all those front border ones plus the ones I mentioned above) so ideally didn't want to use/buy any others. 
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