Create a cottage style border

FOR a traditional cottage garden style, herbaceous perennials are the go-to plants.

When planning flowerbeds, choose a combination that will grow together in harmony, with climate and soil requirements that you can meet.

Magic numbers

Aim to bring plants together in such a way that their colour, texture and shape create a dramatic effect.

On exposed sites, select perennials that require little or no support and have a long season of interest. Grouping odd numbers of plants – generally, threes, fives and sevens – in drifts is usually more effective than single plants and straight rows.

Gimme some space

The planting distance between two similar plants is equal to the final spread of one of them.

To calculate the space between two different plant types, simply add their spreads together and divide by two.

The spread of a plant will be shown on the label so check that out before you put them in position.

Plant pleaser

Dig individual holes for each plant, remove containers and enrich the backfill taken from the hole with Growmore fertiliser and well-rotted compost.

Firm plants in so they sit in the soil at the same depth as they were in their pots and water well.

Deadheaded regularly to keep the flowers coming.