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Plant Sizes

• Message 1. 

  Posted by MrGrinch-Champion of the Middle Saxons (U1934518) on Monday, 3rd April 2006

  Hi,
  Im designing a long border which will be around 65 long and upto 6 foot wide in places. Im starting from scratch so there are no existing plants for me to work around or include. No with something so large cost will be a factor.
  Do you think its worth going for the very small perenial plants, they usually cost arouns £2.50, but buy them in three's, and watch them establish over the years or do you think its worth buting the bigger ones, around £5.50 to get a more instant show. If i chose the former how long would it take for the border to look anything ?
  
  Regards
  

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by bulleydog (U3097237) on Monday, 3rd April 2006

  I created a new border several years ago where we had some very large conifers removed. I went for instant impact and spent rather a lot of money on large shrubs and perennials but after a couple of years some of them had swamped others and I had to move quite a lot. Why not buy smaller plants and fill in the gaps with annuals until the plants get established.

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• Message 3

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  Posted by 8supermum (U2768246) on Monday, 3rd April 2006

  I'd try growing a lot from seeds, there are a lot of perennials around like lupins that will flower this season and make large plants.
  
  Also you could buy bigger plants and then divide them before you plant them (I do that a lot), look carefully at the plants before you buy them to get the biggest pot full, you could get 4-8 plants out of one pot.
  
  Grasses you can do the same, they usually divide really easily and bulk up in one season.
  
  The other tip is whilst waiting for the border to establish put in some annuals for summer colour, they quickly bulk up and cover the ground.
  
  Have fun

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• Message 4

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  Posted by beth23 (U2505374) on Tuesday, 4th April 2006

  I'd definitely buy smaller ones and plant in threes. Some perennials like monardas and geranium will split very easily, so they're worth buying a decent sized pot full and splitting up. Good perennials from seed include lupins, perennial verbascum, acanthus, digitalis lutea, geum, achillea, agastache, campanulas, echinacea. Sow now and some may flower this year, but all will do so next summer. I have germinated all the above just on a windowsill, no propagator and no fuss. Then you can save your money for shrubs and special perennials.

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• Message 5

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  Posted by MrGrinch-Champion of the Middle Saxons (U1934518) on Tuesday, 4th April 2006

  Thanks for the advice !

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• Message 6

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  Posted by danishgirl (U3689294) on Tuesday, 4th April 2006

  Hi there, I started from scratch last year with all the borders in my garden, planted a large number of perennials in various sizes. But what worked really well was to sow a lot of the plants in the border, move them to their final spot in the autumn and this summer I should have loads of new plants at almost no costs. It takes a year perhaps two but then its really worth it.
  So if you can bear to see some very small plants and bare patches this spring/summer you will not regret it. Its really easy as well.

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• Message 7

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  Posted by MrGrinch-Champion of the Middle Saxons (U1934518) on Tuesday, 4th April 2006

  Thanks for the advice danishgirl,
  
  I went and bought some very small pernials that cost about £2 each. I bought Heleniums, Sedums, Achilia, Day Lillies, Aquilegia, Rudbeckia and many more. I decided to buy the odd specimen larger plants for the back of the border. These included Forsythia, Magnolia, Buddleja, Red Hot pokers ands some roses. I havent finished buying the perenials yet, but hope to finish in a couple of weeks. Have i done the right thing ? Will the specimen plants out show the smaller ones and how long will this last ?
  Regards
  Hi there, I started from scratch last year with all the borders in my garden, planted a large number of perennials in various sizes. But what worked really well was to sow a lot of the plants in the border, move them to their final spot in the autumn and this summer I should have loads of new plants at almost no costs. It takes a year perhaps two but then its really worth it.
  So if you can bear to see some very small plants and bare patches this spring/summer you will not regret it. Its really easy as well.  

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