3 EASY STEPS PLAN YOUR BORDER IN
Warm August evenings deserve an atmospheric border that glows in the half-light of dusk. This hazy-toned planting will do just that, with the violet-blue agastache flowers and white perovskia stems mixing with the purple-flushed foliage and muted pink hylotelephium (sedum) heads. HYLOTELEPHIUM ‘MATRONA’ Unmissable for its purply stems and succulent leaves crowned in soft pink, this stout sedum relative tends to stay upright if you don’t overfeed it. H60cm (2ft) S45cm (18in) The planting has further tricks up its sleeve too. Butterflies and bees worship the agastache and sedum, and rabbits not so much, so it’s a good combination if Flopsy keeps mowing your borders. The plants don’t need staking – perfect for those who never quite seem to get around to the job.
And, finally, its season lasts far beyond Hylotelephium ‘Matrona’ summer since the old seedheads make striking winter skeletons. If you’re hoping to recreate this planting, you’ll need a well-drained site in full sun. A sandy loam is ideal. You want something that holds onto a bit of moisture while remaining free-draining; certainly not
heavy clay and nothing too fertile.
Eryngium yuccifolium Xxxxxxxx Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’
PLANT YOUR BORDER
First, clear your site. Dig over the area, removing any perennial weeds and breaking up compacted ground. Fork through some well-rotted garden compost to improve the soil’s fertility and structure but don’t overdo it because all these plants like a fairly lean existence. If you source container-grown plants in summer you can plant them out now, as long as we’re not in the middle of a heatwave. It’s important to soak them thoroughly before planting, then water well and mulch around them to conserve moisture. All these plants have some tolerance to drought once established but need help in the early months.
Plant the perovskia
The ghostly Russian sage forms a strong vertical at the back of the border. Dig in some extra grit if your soil is heavy. Plants are fairly late into leaf each year. When growth starts, cut back to a low framework of buds, like a miniature buddleia. If you want to increase your stock, or know a friend you can pester for cuttings, perovskia can be propagated from semi-ripe cuttings taken in summer.
Add the hylotelephium
Hylotelephiums form the spine of this planting, in a V-shape that tacks through the border. Although easy plants to grow, they prefer a soil that’s neutral to alkaline rather than acidic. Divide established clumps in autumn or spring – if you’re finding it too costly to plant in number, buy a few plants that you can grow to bulk up,
filling border gaps with fast-growing annuals until then. Leave the flowers to stand over winter and the flat heads will catch frosts like sparkly plates. Cut them back next March, before topping up with a mulch of well-rotted organic matter.
Dot through the agastache
Bring the giant hyssop to the foreground, where you can admire the bees and butterflies that flock to its flowers. Unless you’re on very free-draining ground, it’s best to dig in plenty of grit to give plants the best chance of returning next spring. Leave on spent flowerheads to improve its winter survival, plus they look handsome in frost. Cut them back in mid-spring. Handle these spiky-leaved plants with care. Plant as isolated islands, so the white bobbles stand out clearly against the haze of pinks and blues. Plants are best sourced when young because they have deep roots that resent disturbance. Alternatively, propagate your own plants from seed, giving them a period of cold (stratification) to germinate. Like all the planting in this border, leave the seedheads to stand throughout winter, only tidying bits away if they’re starting to look a mess, before cutting back old stems next spring.
Plant the eryngium