Incorporating flowering plants into your garden’s border not only adds a pop of color but also creates a defined and structured space.
However, with the vast array of flowering plants available, choosing the right ones for your garden border can be a daunting task. After all, there are thousands of different plant species that could potentially thrive in your garden and make it stand out from the rest.
In this article, we’ll be exploring the top six flowers to line your border garden. From classic perennials to colorful annuals, each of these plants offers unique qualities that will improve your garden and create a beautiful, cohesive space.
So whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting, keep reading to learn about the best flowers to line your border garden!
Key Takeaways
- Marigolds, Salvia, Lavender, Veronica, Petunias, and Zinnias are all great choices for border gardens.
- Each of these flowers offers unique benefits, such as vibrant colors, long bloom periods, and pest-repelling properties.
- When choosing plants for your border garden, make sure to consider the sun exposure, soil type, and watering needs of each species.
- Deadheading spent flowers can help to prolong the blooming period of most annual and perennial plants.
- Choosing pollinator-friendly plants, like Lavender and Zinnias, can be a great way to make your border garden more environmentally friendly and inviting to local wildlife.
1. Marigolds
Marigolds are a popular choice for border gardens due to their hardiness and bright colors. These annual flowers bloom throughout the summer with shades of yellow, orange, and red. Marigolds are also known for their ability to repel pests such as aphids and whiteflies, making them great companion plants for edible vegetables and herbs.
When planting marigolds in your border garden, it’s important to choose a location with well-draining soil and full sun exposure. Marigolds can be grown from seed or purchased as seedlings from a garden center. Once planted, marigolds require regular watering and deadheading to promote continued blooming.
In addition to their vibrant colors and pest-repelling properties, marigolds are also believed to have medicinal benefits. Extracts from the plant have been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including skin inflammation and digestive issues.
2. Salvia
Salvia, also known as sage, is a perennial flower that produces spikes of purple, blue, pink, or white blooms. These flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies, making them a great addition to any border garden.
Before you plant salvia, make sure the soil in the border region is well-draining and enjoys full sun exposure. The plant is relatively low maintenance and requires little watering once established. Again, deadheading can help promote continued blooming throughout the summer.
Salvia can be a fantastic addition to your border garden, but it’s important to note that it can have psychoactive effects when consumed in large quantities. For this reason, it might not be a great choice if you have small children or pets who could accidentally ingest the plant.
3. Lavender
Lavender is a fragrant perennial flower that produces spikes of purple or blue blooms. This popular herb is often used in aromatherapy and culinary applications, in addition to its ornamental value.
Lavender prefers full sun and well-draining soil, similar to salvia. This flower might need as much as 6 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive. Although lavender is a relatively low-maintenance plant, it’s still a good idea to deadhead the flowers once in a while to keep them healthy and visually appealing.
The aesthetic value of lavender isn’t the only reason to consider planting this flower in your border garden. Lavender produces a very potent scent that actively repels mosquitoes and other pests. This makes it a great choice for areas that will see a lot of traffic or activity, i.e., a border garden next to your patio or deck.
4. Veronica
Veronica, also known as speedwell, is a charming perennial flower that will add a touch of elegance to any border garden. With its delicate, spiky blooms that come in shades of blue, pink, and purple, it is a perfect choice for gardeners looking to create a more romantic, cottage-style garden.
Veronica is easy to grow and requires minimal maintenance, making it a popular choice among novice and experienced gardeners alike. This versatile plant can be used as a ground cover, in rock gardens, or as a border plant. Its long bloom time, from late spring through summer, means that it will provide plenty of color and interest throughout the growing season.
Additionally, Veronica attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making it a great choice for gardeners looking to create a pollinator-friendly garden. Of course, this can be a double-edged sword if you’re not a fan of these creatures or you have small children that could be stung, so keep this in mind before planting Veronica in your border garden.
5. Petunia
Petunias are a popular choice for gardeners due to their vibrant colors, long blooming period, and low maintenance requirements. These annuals come in a wide range of colors, including pink, purple, red, white, and yellow, and their trumpet-shaped flowers bloom from spring until frost.
Petunias are easy to grow, making them ideal for beginner gardeners. They prefer well-drained soil and full sun but can also tolerate some shade. Deadheading the spent flowers regularly can help to prolong the blooming period.
Petunias are also great for attracting pollinators to the garden, such as bees and butterflies. However, they can also be a source of food for pests like aphids and whiteflies. To avoid this, make sure to choose a variety of petunia that is resistant to these pests.
Whether you want to add some bright pops of color to your border garden or make your nature-inspired retreat a little more inviting to pollinators, petunias are bound to be a welcome addition to your space!
6. Zinnia
Zinnias are annual flowers that produce showy, daisy-like blooms in shades of yellow, orange, pink, purple, red, and white. These cheerful flowers are easy to grow and make a great addition to any border garden.
Like petunias, Zinnias thrive best in full sun, but can still flower in partial shade if you’re living in a warmer climate. However, bear in mind that the more shade your Zinnias receive, the more likely they are to contract some form of disease. Zinnias are also relatively drought-tolerant and don’t require much deadheading, making them a low-maintenance addition to your garden.
Zinnias are quite hardy and don’t require much in terms of fertilizer to produce an abundance of flowers. However, if you live in an area with particularly poor soil, you might want to consider adding some compost or manure to the planting area before you sow your Zinnia seeds.
The ease of growing Zinnias, combined with their long bloom period and wide range of color options, makes them a favorite among gardeners of all skill levels. With so much to offer, it’s no wonder that these cheerful flowers are a staple in many border gardens!
Conclusion
There you have it – the top six flowers to line your border garden! Whether you’re looking for vibrant colors, long bloom periods, or low-maintenance plants, there’s bound to be a flower on this list that’s perfect for your space.
Of course, this is just a small sample of the many different plant species that would make a great addition to your border garden. So, if none of these flowers seem quite right for your space, don’t hesitate to explore some of the other options out there.
After all, the best part of gardening is the opportunity to get creative and experiment with different plant combinations until you find the perfect blend for your unique natural retreat! Good luck!
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Enamored with the world of golf Jack pursued a degree in Golf Course Management at THE Ohio State University. This career path allowed him to work on some of the highest profile golf courses in the country! Â Due to the pandemic, Jack began Inside The Yard as a side hustle that quickly became his main hustle. Since starting the company, Jack has relocated to a homestead in Central Arkansas where he and his wife raise cattle and two little girls.
