They are aesthetically pleasing to your garden, but many border plants attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making it a busy, vibrant space. Whether you use annuals or perennials, or even miniature shrubs, border plants are perfect, primarily when you use layers of taller plants behind them. Planting them in groups along the edges for a significant, repeating effect is key.
Here are 15 border plants that will change the whole vibe of your garden:
Pink Muhly Grass 'Pink Cloud' is a beautiful, soft, pinkish flowering head that resembles a ball of fluffy clouds. It is perfect to add gentle beauty to the garden. This is 4 feet tall and likes full sun. The plant can be stunning in a group of plants down along a border.
Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Pink Cloud'
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy or loamy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-9
Purple Fountain Grass adds deep, rich purple color to your garden with gracefully arching leaves resembling a fountain. Growing to about 3 feet tall, it is an excellent grass for sunny locations. The grass is easy to maintain and contrasts nicely with the other plants. Its beauty makes it a great addition to any garden border.
Botanical Name: Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Well-drained, dry to medium soil
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11
Liriope Muscari 'Super Blue' (Lilyturf) is a tough, easy-to-grow plant with tall, blue flowers and dark green leaves. It's perfect for areas with less sunlight, like shady spots. The plant grows in clumps and is excellent for creating a neat border. It's low-maintenance and looks beautiful year-round, making it a smart choice for your garden.
Botanical Name: Liriope muscari 'Super Blue'
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy or sandy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-10
Liriope, or Monkey Grass, is a low-growing, thick, green-leaved plant. It's great for neat, tidy borders around your garden. It can be grown in shady or partly sunny locations, making it versatile for many spots. This hardy plant requires very little care and will stay green all year round.
Botanical Name: Liriope spicata
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy or sandy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-10
The Natal Plum 'Carissa Macrocarpa' is a thorny, evergreen shrub with dark green leaves and small white flowers. It’s excellent for low borders and adds beauty to your garden yearly. It also grows small red fruit that’s both pretty and edible. This plant grows best in full sun and is easy to prune to keep your garden neat.
Botanical Name: Carissa macrocarpa
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy or loamy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11
Maiden Grass 'Adagio' is a smaller ornamental grass that adds a soft texture to your garden borders. Its feathery plumes stand above the green leaves, giving it an elegant look. It grows in clumps and works well in sunny and partly shaded spots. This grass is easy to care for and will stay attractive all year.
Botanical Name: Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio'
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy or sandy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9
The tall Miscanthus Sinensis is a beautiful and impressive plant with silvery, feathery flowers and a dramatic, flowing effect in the garden. Great for borders for added height and movement, the Miscanthus Sinensis makes for particularly stunning foliage at the onset of autumn, as the plumes transform to hues of red and gold. Easy to grow, Miscanthus Sinensis also does very well in open sunlight.
Botanical Name: Miscanthus sinensis
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy or sandy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9
Feather Reed Grass 'Karl Foerster' has tall, upright grassy leaves that structure the garden. Its soft, feathery plumes make it an excellent candidate for creating a neat border. It grows to be about 4 feet tall and is attractive throughout the year. It creates an ideal uniform look at garden edges and is easy to care for.
Botanical Name: Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Well-drained, moist, loamy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9
Ficus Green Island is a compact, evergreen shrub with dark green, shiny leaves. It's great for neat, low hedges or borders. Since it grows slowly, the maintenance and shaping are straightforward. This plant grows in full sun and partial shade, giving your garden greenery throughout the year.
Botanical Name: Ficus microcarpa 'Green Island'
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11
Hosta is a shade-loving perennial known for its attractive foliage and versatility in the garden. Hostas make an eye-catching border plant with a wide variety of leaf colors, ranging from deep green to gold and variegated patterns. They grow well in moist, well-drained soil and partial to full shade. They are ideal for under trees or in shaded garden areas. Hostas also produce delicate flowers in the summer. They are perfect as a landscape plant to plant in fall.
Botanical Name: Hosta spp.
Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Shade
Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Dwarf Mondo Monkey Grass 'Nana' is a dwarf version of the classic monkey grass. It has dark green leaves and grows in neat clumps, which makes it perfect for low borders. It stays compact and looks great around pathways or flower beds. It can grow in both sunny and shaded areas, making it versatile.
Botanical Name: Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-10
Dianella Flax Lily 'Silver Streak' has stunning silver and green leaves. This plant is perfect for small spaces or borders as it grows in compact clumps. It loves sunny or partially shaded spots and is very low maintenance. It looks good all year round.
Botanical Name: Dianella tasmanica 'Silver Streak'
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy or sandy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8-11
Heuchera, or Coral Bells, is an adaptable perennial. It comes in shades of red, purple, and green to provide visual interest throughout the year. Heuchera thrives in partial shade and enjoys moist, well-drained soil. It is low maintenance and can be planted with other border plants while improving the aesthetics of a place without being too demanding. For fertilizing, you can use coffee grounds.
Botanical Name: Heuchera spp.
Sun Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Shade
Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
Boxwood is a classic evergreen shrub often used for neat, formal borders. Its dense, dark green foliage can easily be moulded into hedges or topiaries. This plant grows well under various conditions and is relatively low-maintenance. It is a popular choice for gardeners looking for structure and year-round greenery.
Botanical Name: Buxus sempervirens
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Type: Well-drained, slightly acidic
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9
Lavender is a fragrant, woody herb. It is well-known for its silvery foliage and tall spikes of purple flowers. It is an excellent choice for borders. Lavender grows well in full sun and well-drained soil. It gives both beauty and a pleasant aroma to a garden. It also attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies, making it a great addition to any garden. Lavender is the best plant for a perennial garden.
Botanical Name: Lavandula angustifolia
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy or loamy
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9
We are licensed for a full-scale nursery with an extensive inventory of landscaping trees, fruit trees, palm trees, and the largest houseplant collection. If you want to enhance your curb appeal or turn your porch into a class act, Eureka Farms can guide you on how to do it all, from topiary trees and hedges to everything in between. You can rest assured that we will handle the shipment with the utmost care across the country so that when your plants reach you, they will be as fresh as new. These indoor plants require less upkeep, improve home air cleanliness, brighten moods, and provide essential touches of the natural world to the work-from-home office. Happy Planting!
