The ideal border when it’s all planted up is usually a sort of tapering shape, right from the larger shrubs and perennials poking out at the back, cascading down to the front where smaller pathside plants reside.
Sometimes we just plant where we can, trying to find something we like for the right place. But with good planning and consideration of compact height and habit you can create a lovely low-growing display that doesn’t bury the plants behind it, makes your garden seem bigger, softens the hard edges of your path and will creep and clump prettily at ankle level as you walk past.
Some of the best plants for the job are rockery or alpine plants, so make your way to the alpine section of your garden centre now and you can get some good deals. Planted now they’ll establish well. You could even make these path-edge areas a little more authentic and add pebbles, stones or smallish rocks to complete the look.
Rockery plants usually like good sunshine and really well-drained soil so fork over the soil and add a little grit to each planting hole. Spring’s a great time to enjoy making your little alpine pathside patchwork!
Garden News Recommendations
SEA THRIFT
Evergreen, grass-like little leaf clumps sit below spring and summer pink flower pompoms. Easy to grow in full sun.
SEDUMS
Choose small creeping sedums in a range of yellows, greens and reds – they’re so easy and will soon clump and spread.
SAXIFRAGES
Mats of humped foliage in neat rosettes stay all year, with spring and summer bursts of usually white or pink flowers. Long-flowering.
ERODIUM
Lovely little ‘geranium’ in miniature, which stays tight to the ground and spreads. Tiny pink summer flowers smother the leaves.
