Border Planting ideas please

[JDF1981]

Hello there,

This is my first time posting on a forum.....I have some new borders to fill and I wondered if anyone would be help to offer some planting ideas...the border is approx 3m x 75/100cm, we live in kent so its pretty warm and the border is in full sun. the soil is normal-alkaline and we have reasonable (not great drainage). my main priorities are a bit of height at the back (maybe a couple of climbers to go up some trellis)...I do like cottage style plants, my favourite plants are lavender, anemone, marguerites, roses (who doesn't) foxgloves, geranium, verbena, clematis. I think I will also need to add a few evergreens in there and maybe grasses...but really I am open to any suggestions. Thanks so much in advance. xxxxx

There is a gorgeous abutilon called Kentish Belle which is a great climber, loves sunny soil and flowers from about April to October right through. It has apricot petals and dark red trumpet shaped bells. Really stunning. Depends on your colour scheme but I think it's stunning. Other abutilons also love sunny trellises.
Other climbers: Honeysuckle will give you some good scent through the summer.
Passionflowers are beautiful and you could find some giant clematis that are good in sun (they like shady roots though.)

Definitely add some shrubs to give the border structure. Low growing acers look good with the sort of planting you describe, so do some of the more delicate shrub fuschias, ornamental currants and quinces.

Sounds gorgeous.

Do you mean 3m long by 75cm deep ? If so, can you make it much deeper ? You need at least 1.5 m depth to get climbers at the back, then shrubs and then some herbaceous .

In a similar but perhaps less cottage style border I have climbers; passionflower - a lovely white one, jasmine for scent near a patio, clematis X 2, with a Philadelphus,
Hydrangea annabelle and gardenia. But my garden is green and white in colour scheme.