Perfect Plants That Make For Captivating Walkway Borders
Plants are a natural choice for walkway edging and borders whether it's the swooping line of a tightly shorn boxwood leading to a dramatic sea view or the soft edge of hostas on the charming walkway to a poolside patio. After all, like a room without baseboards, a garden without walkway borders is a garden unfinished.
A crowd favorite for their explosive lilac and pink flowers, rhododendrons grow in a surprising amount of different shapes and sizes. Look for medium-sized shrubs that thrive in dappled sunlight when using rhododendrons as borders.
This herbaceous perennial happens to be one of the most versatile gems in the garden as it can fill in between pavers or as a verdant border of a rock garden. Little white flowers pop up throughout the growing season when planted in full light.
For those living in dry climates, moss rose is a superb choice as it's drought-tolerant and thrives in full, bright sun. The bright-flowered annual typically doesn't spread outside of where it's initially sowed, making a reliable edging plant for pathways or smaller flower beds.
In its early stages of life, liriope tends to look like any old type of tall grass, but it's actually a herbaceous perennial that blooms striking purple flowers in the heat of summer. The sturdy foliage stands tall as a edging plant and even prevents erosion in the garden.
Plant lush green ferns along shaded driveways, woodland paths, or in dappled light. Because ferns prefer moist soil, they'll thrive when used as edging plants beside streams or ponds
This ornamental herb, which boasts pretty purple flowers, makes for a fragrant ground cover ideal for lining steps or between pavers on patios or terraces. When crushed, the flowers emit a fresh, herbal scent. Plant this deer resistant ground cover in full sun to partial shade.
Ornamental grasses such as fountain grass are ideal for planting along borders, paths, or driveways in that receive full sun. Dwarf varieties grow to two to three feet tall, and three feet wide, adn feature fine green foliage in the summer that produces pinkish "foxtail" blooms in late summer to early fall.
These medium flowering shrubs, which produce blooms in shades of pink, blue, purple, and white, work well for lining paths and driveways that are in partial shade, and for separating gardens into smaller spaces. Their size also makes them ideal as standalone edging plants or for layering with other edging plants, like ferns or hostas.
The pairing of boxwood and roses (here, Iceberg roses) is a classic, with the strong lines of the boxwood tempered by the abundance of the roses draping overhead. Designed by Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, with Christina Rottman, this elegant contemporary garden has a backdrop of mountains and the sea, dual senses echoed in the curving design of the lush boxwoods against the pebble mosaic.
With bursts of color and a low path-lining height, lavender is a popular edging choice. Here, a mass of 1,200 lavender plants creates a bold flowering border on the property of a Long Island estate
The long-lived hosta is another classic choice for a garden path. Here, grass-joined bluestone pavers are edged with variegated hostas for a soft and organic border along the walkway to a poolside dining terrace.
This garden's design, by Hollander Design Landscape Architects, with Haynes Roberts, centered two squares divided by a path lined with ilex (holly) hedges, which border the pool in two rows of varying heights. Ilex are popular alternatives to boxwood for borders and provide continuous color year-round.
In bloom from April through May, moss phlox is a low-maintenance choice for borders and edging. You'll sometimes see it referred to as creeping phlox. It's an excellent choice for full sun or areas with sandy or rocky soil.
If a lush green border has caught your eye, consider the hornbeam hedge. Similar to beech hedges, hornbeams will give you a brilliant display of seasonal color as the year progresses and can be trimmed to suit whatever shape you need for your space.
Amazingly versatile and easy to grow, zinnias can make for a dazzling display in a garden border. Plant a mix of varieties for various heights and colors to up the visual interest. Wait until spring to plant seeds directly in warm soil.
With numerous varieties suitable for all manner of soil and climate conditions, begonias are a versatile garden border option. Most require partial sun. Chose plants with dark leaves (rather than lighter, green leaves) for more heat tolerance.
The low-maintenance, drought-tolerant flowering lady's mantle provides lovely groundcover in walkways or underneath trees. The soft edges of the plant make it a perfect choice for borders in need of softening.
The charmingly dainty blooms of alyssum make an impact when planted in groups and, thus, are a popular choice for borders. They're a great solution for groundcover and will grow anywhere from 6 to 12 inches in height.
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