The garden centre is currently brimming with vibrant bedding and perennial plants. With summer upon us, it’s the perfect time to create new summer borders or use these colourful plants to fill gaps in your existing borders. Follow these steps to create a stunning summer border.
Prepare Garden Soil for Successful Planting
Plan your design and evaluate your space by assessing the area where you want to create your summer border, and consider factors such as sunlight, soil type, and the overall climate of your region.
Clear the area and prepare the soil by removing any weeds, debris, or existing plants from the border area. This will provide a clean slate for your new plants to thrive.
Work organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, into the soil to improve its texture and overall health. This will help your plants establish strong roots and promote healthy growth.
Plant Selection and Arrangement
Choose a colour scheme and decide on a colour palette that complements your garden’s existing design. You can opt for a monochromatic theme with varying shades of one colour, a contrasting scheme with complementary colours, or a harmonious blend of hues.
The plant area is packed with perennials, and biennials, and the green house is filled with seasonal bedding plants that will ensure continuous blooms throughout the summer.
Annuals like petunias and begonias offer vibrant colours, while perennials such as daylilies and coneflowers provide longevity. Biennials like foxgloves can add height and structure.
When choosing your plants consider plant height, with taller plants like hollyhocks at the back of the border and shorter plants like alyssum or lobelia at the front. This creates a layered effect that allows all plants to be visible.
Think about bloom time and choose plants with staggered bloom times to ensure continuous colour throughout the summer. Early bloomers like pansies can give way to mid-season stars like dahlias and late bloomers like asters.
Combine plants with different foliage textures and flower shapes to add visual interest. For example, pairing spiky plants like salvias with rounded blooms like geraniums can create a dynamic look.
Once your summer border is established, take time to enjoy it! Not only will it provide a beautiful backdrop for your garden, but it will also attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, creating a buzzing, lively environment. Regularly walking through your garden, admiring the flowers, and noting what works well can provide insights for future planting and improvements.
Creating a summer border is a rewarding project that brings months of enjoyment and beauty to your garden. By carefully planning your design, preparing the soil, selecting a variety of plants, and maintaining your border, you can achieve a stunning display that showcases the best of summer’s floral abundance.
We’re Here to Help
If you’re looking for advice on something we’ve not mentioned above, our friendly staff are always on hand to help.