Make your bed... then delight in it!
Does your garden lack that wow factor? Create a display from scratch and it’ll give you years of pleasure
ABEAUTIFUL bed or border is the ultimate landscaping feature, providing structure, colour, texture, fragrance and movement to the garden. Filled with a good selection of perennials, grasses and bulbs, along with the odd shrub, small tree or statement plant, they are guaranteed to earn their keep throughout the seasons.
Anyone with a plot that boasts some well-designed beds and borders will be looking forward to them hitting their peak in summer, but don’t despair if your garden lacks these indispensable displays. Create a new one from scratch now and plants will establish readily, ensuring any feature provides years of enjoyment.
The starting point when establishing these features is to define their outline on the ground. Straight-edged borders
A kidney-shaped bed looks far more natural than a perfectly round one
that follow boundary walls or fences suit formal spaces, but those with curved outlines are more visually appealing. Narrow borders might be necessary in small gardens, but aim for depth of about 5ft.
Island beds are designed to be viewed from all sides. Perfect for breaking up a large lawn, their size is determined by plant choice. As a rough guide, they’ll need to be at least 8ft wide to accommodate a tree. In my opinion, a kidneyshaped bed with gently curving sides looks far more natural than a perfectly round one.
Mark out the outline of geometric borders with string attached to wooden pegs tapped into the ground. To define the outline of curved beds and borders, lay a hosepipe on the surface and bend to the desired shape. Cut around the contours with a lawn edging tool, strip back turf, dig and rake level.
A random selection of plants will look awful, so sketch out a planting plan on paper. Think about how different plants work together, considering their colour, texture and shape. It’s best to create a tiered display that graduates in height, with the tallest specimens at the back of borders, or in the middle of beds.
To ensure displays are pleasing, avoid dotting with lots of individual plants as it will appear cluttered. Instead, take a cue from garden designers and set plants in odd numbers, in groups of at least three. The arrangement will look harmonious and visually balanced, and the groups will provide plenty of impact.
Of course, rules are there to be broken, and I would recommend adding a few taller, lone specimens as punctuation points to give structure and lift the eye skywards. Patio standards (lollipop-shaped trees with a clear trunk and rounded head of branches), clipped pieces of topiary and columnar shrubs are ideal for the role.
Another way to add vertical interest is to dot in a few ornamental obelisks. Made from metal, timber or natural materials, such as willow, there are models to suit every style of garden. Apart from having decorative appeal in their own right, they are perfect for supporting compact climbing roses and patio clematis.
When it comes to planting, set specimens out on the ground and tinker around with the arrangement, if necessary. Once happy, decant plants from pots and pop into holes that are the same depth as the rootball and twice as wide. Make sure the top of the rootball is level with the surface before backfilling with soil.
The spacing between plants depends on their mature size. In terms of perennials, if you can’t find information about a specific variety, leave 12in between small ones and 2ft between those that grow 2ft to 3ft. Space taller plants 3ft apart. Don’t worry if the display looks a bit gappy to begin with, as plants will spread.
Soak them well after planting and then spread a 3in-deep layer of garden compost, leafmould or well rotted manure over the ground, leaving a gap around stems to prevent bark softening and rotting.
The mulch will prevent weeds from growing, lock in moisture and keep roots cool in summer.