Perennials for borders

Perennials that work in a planted border, with mature size, aspect and bloom time for each.

Border perennials are the workhorses of a planted scheme: they die back each winter and return reliably from the crown, so the framework you set holds for years. Improve the whole bed with garden compost before planting rather than spot-feeding individual holes, and plant in groups of three or five of one variety so they read as a drift rather than dotted singletons. Space at roughly two-thirds of the eventual spread; they knit together by the second summer. The commonest mistake is planting everything at one height, which gives a flat, lumpy bed. Lift and divide clumps every three or four years to keep them vigorous. The perennials listed here cover that backbone, from front-of-border fillers to substantial clump-formers.

Border Builder is a garden border planner for iPhone and iPad. Pick from the 651 plants below and it works them into a full plan: how many of each, where they go, and how the bed reads through the seasons.

651 plants for this

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Shrubs for borders Bulbs for borders Ornamental grasses for borders Annuals for borders Climbers for borders Perennials for full sun