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- Know your soil. This is fundamental to ensuring a successful border. See our advice page on soil types for help identifying whether you have clay, sand, silt, loam or chalk, and how best to work with it.
- Check the aspect and light levels. Aspect is the compass direction that a border faces and determines how much light it receives during the day. South- and west-facing borders receive the most sunlight, and suit plants that like full sun.
- Consider climate and exposure. Conditions differ significantly within the UK. Southern and eastern areas tend to be drier, sunnier and less windy than western and northern areas, due to prevailing winds.
- Measure your border. A border can be just a short, narrow strip of soil, or it can be a deep, curved border running the length of a large garden boundary.
- Positioning Your Borders
- Border Depths
- Border Shapes: Straight
- Border Shapes: Sweeping Curves
- Border Shapes: Undulating and Amorphous
When positioning your plant border, consider the amount of sunlight the area receives, your soil type and how exposed your site is. All can affect the plants you grow there and whether you'll need to improve the soil before planting. Video: How to prepare a border for planting
Borders can be several metres deep or as narrow as a spade's length. One of the best ways to get an initial feel for how large you want your borders is to get out in the garden and have a walk around potential sites. Think about any eyesores you might want to hide with a flower border, a well as things that can't be covered by soil and plants, like...
Straight-edged borders naturally have a somewhat formal appearance. Of course, this is partly determined by the plants you use - soft, billowing plants such as ornamental grasses will help to offset the effect of long, straight edges. For small gardens, consider borders with curved edges, which can make the space feel larger.
Sweeping, curved borders can really help to make a space feel larger than it actually is. It's important you get a smooth, uninterrupted curve when creating these borders, so use a length of hose to experiment with the shape and size of the border. You can also use it as a guide once you start digging.
Undulating border edges can look great, but the secret to success is not to make the 'waves' or undulations too small. You can use plants to enhance the undulating effect, letting plants spill over the border edges at intervals, creating a rhythmic 'rise and fall' effect. Amorphous borders have more curves, of varying sizes and depths, like the flo...
- BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Feb 21, 2024 · On this page, we’ll cover all the information you need – we’ll walk you through creating a new border, choosing the best shape for your garden, and selecting new plants that will set the whole thing off.
Oct 20, 2023 · Your garden border design should reflect your personal style while complementing your overall garden aesthetic. Here are the key elements to consider: Plant Selection: Choose a mix of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and small trees that thrive in your climate. Incorporate native plants for low-maintenance options.
Oct 13, 2023 · Garden borders can be used in many different ways – from dividing an outdoor space into rooms, softening boundaries or making a front garden wildlife friendly. They can be curved or straight, huge herbaceous affairs or made up of a few select plants.
Oct 6, 2021 · Read our back-to-basics guide on how to create the perfect garden border for your space. It includes design, soil type, sun and shade, planting style and choice, colour, height, wildlife and maintenance. Borders are gardens' high-season horticultural extravaganza; a triumphant carnival of colour and expression, in perfect riposte to winter’s ...
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How to create a border in eight simple steps. 1. Position and mark out your border. Decide where in the garden you want your border and mark out its shape. Consider where the border will be viewed from and any eyesores you want to hide. For a curved edge, use a garden hose; for a straight edge, use a string line.
