Creating stunning borders is the highlight of having a garden. Seeing those rich beds in full bloom and bursting with colour is what makes all of those hours of weeding and digging worthwhile. But thriving, luscious flower borders can be expensive – especially when you are starting from scratch.
Fortunately there are ways to get rich herbaceous borders on a budget. So let me share my top money-saving tips for frugal flowerbeds that can still take your breath away.
Framework of features
When designing any flower border, you need a framework of strong, reliable specimens that will anchor the planting. These are your permanent fixtures – once these are in place you can work around them with seasonal varieties.
Shrubs, trees and evergreens provide a great base for your flowers, as well as giving the border structure in winter. Plant a few feature specimens throughout the border.
A few smaller garden trees that are sure to brighten up your borders are:
• Acer palmatum (Japanese maple)
• Prunus (cherry)’Kiku-shidare-zakura’
• Salix caprea (Kilmarnock willow)
• Prunus (cherry) ‘Amanogawa’
However, these are not always cheap. You can save money by buying young plants and letting them grow to size, if you have the patience. Or for an instant effect you can try fast-growing shrubs that will quickly fill the empty spaces such as:
• Hydreangea
• Rosa glauca
• Spiraea japonica
Affordable annuals
For fast results, sow annual flowers. These germinate, bloom and set seed all in one season, so they act fast and can transform a bare plot.
They come in all sizes, shapes and colours imaginable, so it’s worth scouring your local garden retailer for seeds that you love.
• Poppy
• Aster
• Cosmos
• Sweet pea
• Zinnia
• Dahlia
• Begonia
• Verbena
• Sweet alyssum
• Sunflower
Pretty perennials
The cheapest way to buy new plants is from seed. But they can take a long time to reach maturity, leaving you with a half-empty bed.
However, there are some varieties that grow fast. These are all strong perennials that will flower in one season:
• Achillea
• Delphinium
• Coreopsis
• Agastache
Sow them in early spring and you can have striking, flowering plants by the summer.
These popular herbaceous border plants will flower the second year after sowing, so it’s worth getting them in the ground too:
• Lupin
• Aquilegia
• Foxglove
Save the seeds
This is a money-saving no-brainer. You’d be amazed how many seeds you can harvest every autumn. The trick is to wait until the plant is just about to release them – take seeds too early and they won’t be viable.
Store seeds in a dry, airtight container over winter. And remember to label all the packets – there is no way you will remember which is which come spring.
Self-seeders
Make your herbaceous border low-maintenance as well as low-cost with self-seeders. These plants freely disperse their seeds every autumn, spreading around the border without your help. Think of them as eternal annuals – you only need to buy them once and they come back every year.
Self-seeders are great for an informal planting style, because they settle into a natural order where each variety will grow in the spot it likes best. Here are a few great options:
• Aquilegia
• Angelica archangelica
• Digitalis purpurea
• Myostis sylvatica (forget-me-not)
• Verbena bonariensis
• Eryngium giganteum
• Foeniculum vulgare ‘Giant bronze’
• Lunaria Annua (honesty)
Divide perennials and bulbs
Make more plants for free by dividing what’s already in your garden. Large perennials and groups of bulbs can become congested, which reduces their flowering.
Dig them up, split them and replant around the garden for more, and more vigorous, plants. Divide perennial plants in spring or autumn, and bulbs as soon as flowering is finished.
It is possible to create a striking herbaceous border on a budget. You just need some fast-acting plants and a little patience.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
01912671067
My fervent wish is that someday I might meet David personally – think he is just great, so down to earth and gives such practical advice.
I am no gardener realise I have just pottered all my life (now 82) but do love flowers of every kind,
My sister who has a very restful,lovely garden calls me the “Pierepoint of the potted plants” You know who he was – the hangman!! although trying (very trying) to do something with the borders.Limited mobility doesn’t help the cause Don’t get old David – frustrating. Enjoy the Tuesday make-overs your team look a really happy crew and so talented and the people you have helped so deserving. You have given happiness to so many families – lovely.
Well, I have nattered on and you’re a busy man
So bye for now
Hugs
Greta Heron (Geordie lass from Newcastle Upon Tyne
Have saved to screen! An immensely informative and simplistic page :-)
Many thanks for this helpful page.
Question – can perennial and hardy annual seeds be sown by broadcasting them straight on the ground & raking over? (once the soil’s warmed up). I don’t currently have a greenhouse or bench where I could prepare trays, plugs etc.
Thanks :)
Hi Ry, Yes that should be fine. Wait until the weather has warmed up a bit though. And double-check on the seed packet that they are suitable for outdoor sowing!
Hah, excellent & timely info, particularly the reminder to check packets for suitability to sow outdoors! many thanks indeed David, much appreciated. Re right degree of warmth – would you think around 10C daylight temps on average, and night-time no lower than say 7 or 8C, high enough?
cheers
Ry
It’s not the ambient temperature so much as soil temperature, which will depend on soil type (heavy and clay soils are slower to warm up), sunlight levels etc. You can always warm the soil by laying a sheet of black plastic over it for a couple of weeks before sowing. Hope that helps.
Very helpful indeed, many thanks once again David :)
Daylilies are a must have. They grow fairly quickly and can be divided every few years for more plants. I have found that lupine and columbine are amazingly even to grow from seed. Just scatter them on the ground and walk away. A great plant to use if you’re trying to fill a void is Tradescantia. It’s aggressive but works great and the bees love it.
David,
I love your blog and have saved to my desktop. Please could you suggest a smallish Shade tree which will take the sun off our terrace which is faces south west and is too hot to sit out in summer. This should loose it’s leaves in autumn to allow the light back in.
We have already under planted the bed with your suggestions.
Sande
Hi Sande,
Thanks for your comment, I’m thrilled you like the blog! I would recommend planting a Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple). These are small-ish deciduous trees which lose their leaves in autumn and are easy to care for. I hope this helps!
Hi David thanks for this informative article. I am a novice gardener and would be keen to find out how you know when a plant is about to release its seeds so you don’t take them too early?