Edgworth-horticultural-society.co.uk

DESIGNING A MIXED BORDER
A mixed border, as distinct from an old-fashioned herbaceous border, offers the
opportunity to use the greatest range of plant material and gives the longest season of
interest. Start with bulbs and early perennials in spring, then summer bulbs and later
perennials. Add good half-hardy annuals to take the season through to late autumn, then
use evergreen shrubs and hel ebores to keep the interest going in winter. Consider shape,
colour and texture when planning plantings, along with height, flowering period and foliage.
Bupleurum fruticosumFatsia japonicaMahonia x media ‘Charity’ Annuals:
Tithonia rotundifolia ‘Torch’Cleome spinosaCosmos bipinnatusNicotiana sylvestrisNicotiana langsdorfiiMonarda x hybrida ‘Lambada’ Early summer:
Iris germanicaVerbascum ‘Southern Charm’Aquilegia vulgarisAchilleaHemerocallisEuphorbia characias ssp. Wulfeni Late summer:
Veronicastrum virginicumSchizostylis coccineaHelenium autumnalePhygelius capensisPhlox paniculataEchinacea purpureaActaea (Cimicifuga) simplexAnthemis tinctoriaLobelia tupa ‘Everlastings’:
Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Firetail’Verbena bonariensisGeranium ‘Bill Wallis’ LATE SUMMER BORDERS
Colour in the late summer border comes principally from perennials and
annuals, although some shrubs contribute too. Callicarpa bodnieri 'Profusion',
a rather undistinguished shrub, produces masses of vivid purple berries.
Hardy fuchsias are at their best now, and there are a larger range of varieties
than might be supposed. The graceful Fuchsia magellanica 'Versicolour' is
hard to beat and fits into the garden scene better than the larger flowered
hybrids; 'Sharpitor' is excellent too. Abelia x grandiflora begins producing its
pink flushed white flowers in August, and its neat evergreen leaves are an
asset to the border throughout the year.
True blue is relatively uncommon amongst plants, but a trio of shrubs pull off
the trick at this time of year. Ceratostigma plumbaginoides is technically a
shrub, but is low growing and behaves more like a perennial. Its glowing blue
flowers gain in intensity as the leaves change to crimson as autumn
advances. C. willmottianum is more shrub-like at around 3ft, with attractive
bristly stems. Caryopteris x clandonensis is a good front of border shrub with
panicles of blue flowers in late summer. 'Kew Blue' is darker than the species;
'Worcester Gold' has yel ow leaves, providing the classic blue/yellow colour
partnership in one plant. There are varieties of ceanothus which flower from
spring to autumn. 'Autumnal Blue', 'Gloire de Versail es' and 'Burkwoodii' all
produce their glorious flowers at this time of year.
Many salvias are tender in al but the warmest gardens, including the lovely
Salvia patens but the much under-rated S. officinalis ' Purpurascens Group'
is terrific, completely hardy and not only provides year-round interest but
combines so wel with many other plants. The forms of S. greggii and S.
microphylla var. microphylla are hardy and long flowering too. Tender salvias
are easily raised from cuttings and it is worthwhile to over-winter plants in this
way for the extra interest they provide.
Bupleurum fruticosum is an unusual shrub with green umbellifer flowers over
a long season; it is easily raised from seed. Clerodendrum trichotomum is a
large shrub with bril iant turquoise berries, but C. bungei is one of the stars of
the autumn border. With large, dark, purplish leaves, and rounded heads of
sugar-pink flowers, this beautiful and uncommon shrub behaves more like a
perennial. It has a suckering habit.
PERENNIALS
The fol owing are all great plants for the late summer/autumn border:
Eupatorium purpureum (Joe Pye Weed)Eupatorium cannabinum (Hemp Agrimony)Rudbeckia nitida 'Herbstonne'Gaillardia aristata Helenium autumnaleHeliopsis scabra Anemone x hybrida (Japanese Anemone)Monarda hybrida 'Lambada'Cimicifuga simplex Atropururea Group - now more properly ActaeaPapaver ruprifragumVeronicastrum virginicum (Bowman's Root)Persicaria amplexicaule 'Firetail'Sedum 'Purple Emperor' - and many othersDahlia - in variety but especial y 'Bishop of Llandaff' & 'David Howard'Schizostylis coccinea (Kaffir Lily)Zauschneria californicaVerbena bonariensisVerbena rigidaPerovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)Agastache foeniculum (syn. Anisata) (Anise Hyssop)Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)Macleaya cordataPenstemon - in variety but especial y 'Firebird' ('Schoenholzeri') and 'Garnet' ('Andenken an Friedrich Hahn')Aster amel usAster novae-angliae (Michaelmas Daisy)Lobelia tupaLobelia bridgesiiVerbascum 'Southern Charm'Diascia rigescensEchinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)Liatris spicata Tricyrtis formosanaPhysostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)Erodium manescaviiPhlox paniculata ANNUALS
There are also a number of annuals which help to keep the border filled with colour until
the end of October:
Tithonia 'Torch' (Mexican Sunflower)Cleome spinosaNicotiana sylvestrisNicotiana langsdorfiiCalendula officinalisCosmos bipinnatusCosmos sulphureusRudbeckia hirta 'Prairie Sun'Alonsoa warscewicziiAmaranthus caudatus (Love Lies Bleeding)Mirabilis jalapaRehmannia angulataScabiosa 'Chat Noir'Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens'

Source: http://www.edgworth-horticultural-society.co.uk/pdf/speakers-recommendations_suehoy.pdf