Not just a border - a Malleson border!
How I create a personalized border perfect for you and your garden
Creating a border can feel difficult and overwhelming. There is so much to consider, which plants to choose, how to combine them and how to plant them. And it all depends on how sunny your border is, how well the soil drains and most importantly, when do you want the border to look its best. Some borders are only seen in the warmer months, some you walk past every day even in the winter. Your favourite season might be spring and autumn and you want the border to be at its best then.
A traditional border uses many annuals, tender plants and bulbs like tulips that only flower properly once. So once you have your border it can seem like a constant removing things that are past their best and adding new plants and it can get quite exhausting.
So to take all the guess work out if it, why not let me design a beautiful low maintenance border just for you! I create borders using a more modern, sustainable approach using beautiful hardy perennials, bulbs that return year after year and grasses and evergreens for structure. This creates a more permanent plant community, which is beautiful and long lasting. And incidentally this means less cost and less maintenance in the long term. Once it is established all you have to do is a bit of weeding in spring and a bit of deadheading as necessary. This means more time to sit back and enjoy the beauty of your garden. Read more about my approach to planting and how I build your border below.
The building blocks of your border
Powerful perennials
Generally the main period of interest for a border is from late spring into autumn. So for me the key point is to choose mainly perennials which look great for most of that period, whether its through great foliage or a super long flowering period. This means there is no need to replace planting regularly or have a lot of plants past their best. To choose reliable, hardy, powerful perennials to make up the main part of the border is key. These are plants like salvias, echinacea, geum and rudbeckia but also small flowering subshrubs like santolina or lavender which outside their flowering season still provide great structure and foliage colour. If your border is on the shadier side this could be plants like astrantias, heuchera or hardy geraniums.
Star perennials
Of course there are many plants we love, that are especially interesting and beautiful or hold personal meaning to us. Its important to include a few of those star perennials to your border. Even if they don't last that long they provide real highlights while they are flowering. This group includes many interesting plants such as peonies, agapanthus or foxtail lilies.
Beautiful bulbs
To extend the flowering period of the border into spring I usually heavily underplant with bulbs. With bulbs it pays to be generous and plant in large drifts to make a real impact. I choose varieties that will come back reliably year after year. So plants like daffodils, species tulips, alliums for example.
A good structure
Good structural planting is not just for winter. In a border full of flowers, plants like grasses or small evergreen shrubs give the eye rest and help the flowers stand out even more. They also provide rhythm and connect the border, making it feel one. But of course in winter these structural plants come into their own, while perennials are dying down and bulbs are not yet coming up they give the border purpose. And of course if you like winter to be the main season they can be supported by a range of winter flowering plants, like hellebores, snowdrops or small winter flowering shrubs like sarcoccoca or daphnes.
What I need to know from you
How much sun does your border get?
It doesn't need to be exact but is it all day long, more than half a day, less than half a day, a couple of hours or none at all? This will have a huge influence on the plants I would choose
What's your soil like?
Is it super sticky and hard to work clay, fairly normal garden soil or very sandy? If its clay or very free draining I would definitely suggest we work in quite a bit of compost to improve the soil, which to be honest is always a good idea before planting a new border.
If it is particularly alkaline or acidic that would be good to know but if most pants grow alight its probably fairly neutral.
What seasons do you want your border to look best?
Everyone wants their borders to look good for as long as possible, but especially if its fairly small it might be best to focus on a couple of seasons where it looks fantastic rather than it looking just alright with a few things in flower all year round. If for example the border is at the end of the garden and you are only likely to be out there from Mai to September then its no point planting a lot of bulbs or of, the same applies for late autumn flowering plants. If however the border is near the house and you can see it every day from the window while washing up, then it would be great to offer something pretty especially when its a bit bleak outside. Or consider a border near the front door, sometimes it can be great to focus especially on winter season when planting as it will cheer you up every day when you walk past and summer offers so much in the back garden already. And if you spend 3 months abroad every summer then again its better to focus the flower power on other seasons.
So it's worth thinking about it and consider when you are able to view and enjoy the border or whether particular seasons are more important for you.
Favourite Colours
When it comes to colour, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Personally I love all colours, in the right place at the right time. You might have a preference for particular colours or dislike of others, or love particular combinations, love pastels or or super cheerful bright colours. There is no right or wrong, you can decide on a particular scheme or let me me take care of the details.
Favourite Plants
If there are any favourite plants that simply need to be part of it, plants that are there already that you want to keep or plants that you always wanted let me know so we can integrate them in the design.
Anything else?
If there is anything else that's important to you let me know.