BLUE, PURPLE, AND WHITE FLOWER BORDER, EDINBURGH
THE BRIEF
To create a border in white, blue, and purple colours with a little addition of pink.
THE SPACE
A long and wide border edging a large rectangular lawn, 12x3m.
THE DESIGN
To add drama to the planting scheme, I introduced diversity in heights by placing rose shrubs at the back and cascading perennials at the front.
The centrepieces of the design are alliums Gladiator and Globemaster. Growing to a stately height of up to 1.5m, and with large, dense globe-shaped flower heads appearing in late spring and early summer, these fantastic purple alliums are real show-stoppers.
When alliums leave the stage in mid-summer, blue, white, and purple delphiniums and pink foxgloves take on the leading role in the border. Cow parsley and gypsophila are dotted in front of them, their airy flowers contrasting with the soft flower heads of delphiniums and foxgloves.
To create structure and interest in winter, evergreen plants such as agapanthus, hellebores (Christmas rose), and sage are added. Echinops (blue globe thistle) and gypsophila will dry out in the end of the season and will add to the structure and winter interest.
The plants are planted in blocks, which creates focus and, as plants mature, makes it easier to manage the border.
The edges of the border are marked with lavender, adding to the structure and filling the air with a gentle scent.
The season of the border is extended by agapanthuses, caryopteris, and geraniums, which flower in late summer and autumn.
