Border boost: give your flowerbeds a makeover this autumn
Give your flower beds a makeover this autumn. Hazel Sillver reveals the most effective ways to hit refresh – plus the perennials and shrubs you need
EARLY autumn provides the ideal opportunity to transform a border, and if the idea seems a bit daunting it needn’t be. Start by considering what could be removed to make way for new plants. A lot of dark foliage makes a border appear glum and smaller than it is. Or maybe you have too many plants like heathers and conifers – popular in the 1970s, if used in excess they can look a little dated.
You could also think about moving colour-clashing flowers to create a more harmonious mix. When adding new specimens, look for colours that complement what you already have. Bold colours work well together, but whites will jar amongst them, so if you need something to plant alongside white, choose softer shades instead. And remember that pastel colours and whites will appear to glow at twilight, making them obvious candidates for planting near an outdoor dining area.
Nice and neutral
In any scheme you will need neutral colours to pull everything together – the muted tones of grasses and subtle perennials such as Hylotelephium work particularly well. Burgundy is also a great ‘binder’ to incorporate – it not only pairs perfectly with most colours but also injects a contemporary mood.
Another consideration is height. Rather than simply having tall plants at the back and littluns at the front, create layers of planting and you’ll make your border more interesting. To do so you will need ‘see-through’ plants: airy perennials that have small flowers on wiry stems, such as Knautia macedonica and Verbena macdougalii ‘Lavender Spires’. Vertical accent plants are also good as they add height without screening out the plants behind them; the likes of foxgloves with their slender spires of flowers do the job perfectly.
In a border of perennials, you can create full stops with the solidity of shrubs, roses or dwarf clematis on ornate obelisks. Architectural flowers also add points of focus: for instance, the spheres of Allium cristophii and globe thistle.
Don’t forget foliage
Focussing on flowers is tempting but foliage will give extra shape and colour. From the lightweight dark lace of bronze fennel to the big, glaucous leaves of plume poppy, garden designers employ leaves to add texture and interest. And last but not least, include plants that
perform in more than one season – for example: in winter Salvia ‘Blue Spire’ has ghostly white stems and Bergenia ‘Abendglocken’ has bronze-red leaves.
Many perennials can be planted in September; containerised roses and shrubs can also go in and hardy annuals can be sown. Get cracking now and in a few months your revamped border will be in bloom, giving the whole garden a new lease of life.