Planting scheme for borders

[MumbleBag]

I have spent the last few month clearing out our borders save for a few plants we are keeping. It was a big straggly mess before and I'd like to start again.

I'd really like to put some thought into the planting scheme this time rather than just planting anything anywhere as I've done before.

I just have no idea where to start. I don't really know about different types of plants so not sure if I should get someone in to advise on a planting scheme or whether this is something I could try and do myself perhaps with a good book to guide me. Does anyone have any advice on how I could plan this myself or should I just get a professional in?

Thanks!

I had a similar dilemma last year, and decided to DIY. My local big garden centre has a "Plant Adviser", who gives excellent free advice. I just explained what type of thing I was looking for, and he showed me round, pointing out suitable plants. It's much more satisfying to choose your own plants.

And, of course, there'll be very good advice from the experienced gardeners on here!

Give us some idea and we can help. You'll pay quite a lot for a designer but if you can look at some books on garden design and decide that style you like first, that helps. Do you want a soft cottage garden look, with pale colours, or a more modern design with features?

There are some very general points with design- at least 3 or 5 of any 1 plant, planted in a group like a triangle, so you don't end up with a busy patchwork design.
Taller plants go at the back, smaller at the front so it's layered.
Small gardens look better with big plants to give impact not lots of little one.

Best to map out your garden on paper and then decide roughly what you'd like to go where.

There are some very good books including those by Alan Titchmarsh on How to be a Gardener. They include some basic designs and lists of plants.

Thanks. I'll have a look to see if any garden centre near me have a plant adviser and the general points on design are very helpful.

I think I'd like a soft cottage garden look. Have also been thinking about colour and would I be right to focus on just a couple of colours - say blue & purple?

I'll pop to the library and see what books I can find, then make a list of plants I like and try and draw a plan. I will definitely make sure I pay attention to the size of the mature plant as I've made that mistake before and planted things way too close together thinking it seemed too far away!

Sounds like you have a good plan.

Blue and purple is okay-ish but take it from me, there are very few true blue plants- most are on the purple side of blue. Blue and purple with green looks good - my garden is mainly those shades- but without a 3rd colour it can look a bit drab on dark wet days. You really need another colour such as white, pink or yellows.

You also need to consider when the plants flower- my garden is 'june heavy'- I have lots then inc iris, poppies, hardy geraniums, dianthus, and large alliums. What I need now are plants that flower in August/Sept but it's a case of finding space in a small garden!

Don't forget verticals- you need something that can climb over fences or pergolas- like clematis, roses and honeysuckle.

And don't forget spring when you can use bulbs- but they need planting soon- Sept onwards.

One thing I do to get ideas - is have a really good nosey at people gardens - its a good way to see what plants you like, what colours work together (and you can learn from their mistakes)

By looking in other local gardens you can see what does well in your area on a similar soil type and may see a lush planting or a combo you might not have thought of...

There are some plants that flower/do their thing later in the year so your garden isn't bereft when summer's over.

I am in a similar position to you, will be starting from scratch and I want to get it right this time too, as I get bad winter doldrums and hate seeing miserable brown stumps and stalks.

So I'm concentrating on making enormous lists of evergreen plants, shrubs etc to be anchor plants, plants with autumnal flowers or leaves, or brightly coloured stems and winter flowering plants so I have colour and interest throughout the winter. And plants that start when previous bulbs, say, are finishing, then the straggly leaves aren't so obvious.

That's the plan, anyway. It's very exciting, isn't it.

I think how many colours you go for depends on what you like and appreciate. Our garden had loads of stuff in it when we moved in, I managed to clear some of it but hubby wouldn't let me start from scratch so it is a complete mix of things. some I like and some I HATE. We have random patches with about 6 bushes all on top of each other and other bits that were completely empty.

I plant things I like, I don't have a colour scheme because it just wouldn't have been possible with the stuff that was already here. We do have lots of purples and blues as I like them most but we also have yellow, orange, pink, red, white and different greens. I like coloured vegetation in the winter so we have dogwoods for the red sticks and heucheras for the lovely rich coloured leaves. Also have winter jasmines which are bright yellow.

I think even if you have a colour scheme you can get away with some variations in it if the plant types are the same eg if you have lavender then you could probably get away with introducing a bit of pink or white lavender without it looking too much like too many colours on top of your blue/purples.

It would also be worth checking out what kind of soil you have too - pH makes a big difference to some plants. Most plants are fairly tolerant and the majority will manage on soil slightly on the acidic side of neutral, but some plants won't thrive unless the soil is more acidic, and some will sulk that it isn't more alkaline. Also, if your soil leans more heavily to being clay, or sandy, you might need to do a bit more work to be able to have the kind of plants you like.

I'd be scampering down to my local library or bookshop if I were you. You can get lots of ideas from browsing through gardening books. Books will also tell you things that you might not suspect, like which plants need to be deadheaded promptly to prevent them seeding all over your garden, or which ones are quite thuggish and will take over if allowed.

I wouldn't focus on such a tight range of colours tbh, because a limited range like that is more contemporary than traditional cottage garden. Soft pastel shades of most colours work well together - but maybe when you're faced with a large choice of really gorgeous plants you'll find it hard to resist extending the range a little?

Online nurseries often have good deals (e.g. j parkers and van meuwen) have good offers on plant collections - and both do a blue/white garden collection.Basically, they are ready- made perennial borders including a planting/spacing guide. Cheap, too. Good starting point that you can add to!