Creat A Great Landscape -- flower bed border ideas

The majority of flower borders are generally planted along a fence or other boundary in a landscape. However, they can also edge the sides of walkways or driveways. The charming edges of a flower border set off by an area of plants, mulch, or other type of decorative edging not only is more pleasing to the eye, but it can also cut down on the amount of time spent with mundane yard maintenance such as mowing.

To budget both time and money, plant the bed in stages. Consider and plan ahead whether or not there is an adequate amount of lawn space, availability of structures, trees, or shrubs that can be used to incorporate a flower border. You will need to design borders in such a way that the size and shape will complement one another as well as the surrounding landscape. Make your border large enough to generate a pleasing visual impression, yet, small enough for easy maintenance. Keep the border in proportion with the length as well. The length of the border is normally determined by the overall size of the landscape. Making the border slightly wider will allow the opportunity to use tall, flamboyant flowers. Layering and variation of shape in a border will create a pleasant composition. Grouping taller plants with intense foliage can also screen unsightly areas and provide privacy. A border can have either a straight or curved edge. Curves tend to offer a more casual and informal effect. Straight beds can be made less daunting by arranging flowers in groups rather than in rows. You can also soften straight lines by permitting the bed to curve in the center or near one end. Whether or not to use a straight line or a gentle curve is up to you.



Asters, chrysanthemums, daylilies, irises, and ornamental grasses are good choices for use in flower borders. These can be highlighted with vines, shrubs, or attractive foliage plants. Choosing flowers with long-lasting blooms provide stronger emphasis throughout the changing seasons. For early blooms, peonies, geraniums, columbine, and miscellaneous spring-flowering bulbs can be utilized. Choose goldenrod, asters, mums, or phlox for late blooms. Annuals such as impatiens and dianthus are immediate choices to brighten up existing borders between seasons.


There are many different ways in which borders can be arranged. Double borders usually scamper along both sides of a path or down the sides of property. Most of the time, these borders have straight edges. Edging a double border with brick can make these straight edges more attractive. Formal borders that include roses look quite lovely when they are outlined with low, neatly pruned boxwood. Other formal beds can be placed against dark backgrounds or hedges and stand out nicely when edged with cobblestones. Perennial borders can be edged with a continuous planting of one type of edging plant such as sweet alyssum, hardy pinks, candytuft, or lavender. Depending on the width, borders along a walkway or path can be edged with plants in a straight row or in masses. An island bed is surrounded by lawn. Position an island bed with an irregular shape that will fit the contours of your lawn and border plantings. Place the tallest plants in the center with all other plant heights scaled down towards the outer edge. These can be edged with consistent placement of one plant, such as lamb’s ear, or groups of edging plants. You can also give the island bed an untamed appearance by allowing it to flow into the lawn to mimic a meadow. A mixed border consists of flowers which are placed in groups in and around shrubs and groundcover. Shrubs that are used with this type of border should complement the foliage and growth of the other plants. For further interest, an accent can be integrated. Herbaceous borders can be designed using hedges, walls, or fences as backdrops. These types of borders can provide height and substance to the landscape. Incorporate climbing vegetation such as clematis, climbing roses, or ivy into the background to supply additional beauty. For winter attraction, ornamental grasses can be used. They make natural companions for herbaceous plants like salvia and campanula. A raised bed can save space and can be enclosed with bricks, timbers, or anything that gives shape and holds soil in. Slope these beds to encourage water run off. You can also build up the soil into a mound without any retaining edges.


Flower borders placed around the outer edges of a landscape provide a cleaner and less muddled appearance than numerous, traditional small beds. They can be worked into nearly any property. With the use of low-growing plants that have interesting foliage texture and defined edges from stones or other types of edging your border should contrast well with and add character to the flowers and surrounding lawn.