I have a long perennial border at the back of my property and it needs some work this spring. I surveyed the whole bed and listed the plants under tall, medium and short. I definately need to add more tall perennials. I would love to hear what you have at the back of your borders.
Michelle
What Perennials are at the back of your Perennial Borders?
Karl Foerster feather reed grass, Rudbeckia maxima, and maybe some helianthus. What do you have for short? (I'm looking for suggestions there :) ).
pam
Pam,
I seem to have lots of medium size plants and loads of short. I have hardy geranium, catmint, salvia, shasta daisy, campanula, liatris, baby's breath, some daylilies, big betony, coneflowers, and bee baum for the middle of the bed. For shorter I use lady's mantle, dianthus, creeping phlox, aubrieta, arabis, coreopsis, english daisy, calamintha, pulmonaria, dwarf balloon flower, creeping soapwort and campanula as well.
I haven't tried feather reed grass yet and I do have helianthus in other parts of the garden so thats is an idea as well.
Thanks
Michelle
We have a lot of grasses, but they take up too much room, normally, There are some nice tall asters out there, tho. Hollyhocks are a good looking leaf when even when they aren't in bloom. But there are so many mini type bushes anymore, I think those would be great too.
Yes grasses are big, this is my first perennial garden and I'm guilty of using the "cram-and-jam" method of planting because I hate to wait for gratification. :) I forgot to mention I am also training some morning glories up a trellis behind the bed, you could also use that to give a vertical element to a small space.
Will check out some of the short suggestions, thanks! :)
pam
I had thought about this because I am rearranging some beds and will stick these in back of some dahlia. I will have Bugbane, Harrington's Pink aster, Chelsea helenium and the 'sneezeweed' helenium. They should all be close to 4'. Karl Foerster does fit that placement also.
Trumpet Lilies & Delphiniums for tall, Phlox & Balloon Flowers for tall to medium.
Russian sage, delphiniums, baptisia, goatsbeard, and lilies for tall stuff. I want to a a rogersia this year too - I love the leaf form. I have also thought about putting in a clematis on a tall flat trellis for some height.
All of these suggestions are fantastic.
Al,
I love Heleniums and I have Pink Asters on my list. Right now I have wine colored ones.
SS
I do have Russian Sage planted in front of Rudbeckia Herbstsonne. Planted Baptista last year but it has not gotten very big yet. Also added lily bulbs as well. I will be purchasing delphiniums this year as well.
Does anyone have Thalictrum aquilegiifolium? I wonder if it can be positioned towards the back of a bed.
Michelle
I have Thalictrum aquilegiifolium. I've had it for about 5 years I think, moved it a couple times, but so far it hasn't reached over(or not by much) 3' for me. I would highly recommend Thalictrum delavayi for the back of the border, reaching at least 6 or 7' with large airy clusters of purple flowers. The leaves looking like a maiden hair fern. The only real problem I've had with it is leaf miners and not even very badly.
For other tall perennials, I have Delphinium, Foxgloves(I have the short ones, but theres the tall too), Heliopsis and Lilies.
Steve
I love this thread, despite the fact I'm way down here...it gives me good ideas for the back of the border over the winter here like delphiniums and hollyhocks (I have to grow these as biennials here--too hot in the summer). My hollyhocks should bloom very soon now. I won't bore you with what I grow in the back over the summer since the plants wouldn't apply to ya'll; but love the thread!
:)
Debbie
I have Thalictrum rochebrunianum, Hibiscus, Ornamental Grasses, Persicaria Polymorpha, tall lilies, various Eupatoriums (Gateway, Carin etc.). But what I really like at the back are shrubs, Physocarpus Diablo, Lilacs, Weigela, and trellises with Clematis. Any chance you can fit some shrubs back there? Or even a conifer. Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) can be kept trimmed to almost any size.
I'm facing the same issue right now. Here's what's on my plan right now: lilies, foxglove, a trellis with climbing rose and clematis, and anemone Andrea Atkinson for something in the fall. We'll see how tall they all get--it may take a little while. I have a lilac already, and would love to put some more. They make everything smell so good, and even when the flowers are done, they provide a nice green backdrop. Besides, you can train a later-flowering vine up into them and keep the bloom going!
Clematis up lilacs, now that's a great idea! I have a ton of lilacs, and was looking for places for more Clematis.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Polly,
I have Hibiscus "Simply Love" growing right now from seed. Also still waiting on my Joe Pye Weed to return. Shrubs are something that I am looking at adding this year as well. Weigela "Wine and Roses" is one that is on my list.
This maybe a very basic question but what type of trellis do you use? Something like and Obleisk or just a plain trellis. How fast does clematis grow. I would love to add lots of different clematis.
Thanks again
Michelle
Michelle,
My daughters name is Michelle.
Here's a pic of the type of trellis I use, I have them all through my beds.
I bought them at Kmart, a Martha Stewart Garden item. They were cheap, and have lasted many years.
But obelisks would surely look great!
Polly
Oh, sorry, and clematis grows fast, should look good this year.
Polly,
Cool that your daughter and I have the same name! Thanks so much for the great picture! That helps alot and I believe my dh could build me a trellis or two. Also I am glad to hear that clematis grow quickly. I will have to put them on my ever growing list.
Michelle
My perennials pretty much give out as you get further back in the border, and it gives way to shrubs. From taller to shorter, my main border contains:
Lilacs and privet
Roses and hydrangeas
Japanese anemones, garden phlox, lilies, David viburnum, foxgloves
Iris and Siberian iris
Violets, hardy geraniums, gaura, veronica, Oriental poppies, columbine, etc., etc.
Tall and short sort of weave in and out, and there are tribbles of Heller Holly zigzagged through as a theoretically unifying element. (Well, unifying in the future when they're decent-sized green cushions; now they're about the size of a round loaf of bread.)
Burnet
I actually just finished my back border today. All the plants I had listed plus a chunk of Karl. In front will be dahlia 3' high or so. The only question is will it be too sunny for the cimicifrugia(bugbane) early in the year and too shady for the others later on. This is a west exposure meaning less but hotter sun.
I have one that has not been mentioned... Agastache 'Blue Fortune'. Oh and also Buddleia davidii. I have 'Black Knight'. Its not really in the back, it kinda takes up the entire depth front to back.
Lots of great suggestions. I can add:THALICTRUM Glaucum
I really enjoy Valeriana officinalis. It is tall when it blooms and blooms at a time when not much else is happening in the garden for me. After blooming, the foliage stays attractive, but is fairly short.
Susan
Wow all of these suggestions have been wonderful.
Plant,
I have Agastache "Blue Fortune" in my bed now but it has not gotten very tall. This will be its 3rd season so I am hoping that it will really take off. Also have a Butterfly Bush in the nursery bed just couldn't seem to figure out where I wanted it. But it is being moved into my large border this weekend.
Dave,
I love the plant you suggested!
Susan,
I will have to investigate the plant you suggested as I am not real familar with it.
I am going to add Delphs this year so for anyone who has them now any recommendations of which ones work the best?
Michelle