The shape of plants is just as important as flower colour and because it’s around for much longer (with woody plants, all year round), shape helps to structure the planting. Create stunning herbaceous perennial borders the easy way. ‘Smaragd’, Zones 2–7) provides excellent year-round interest because it maintains its rich green color in winter. A perennial is a plant that survives for over a year, but may die back to ground level after the growing season ready to spring back up next year. Shrubs, especially small ones, are easy to care for and therefore often labour-saving. Gardening expert Joanna Cruddas suggests bulbs and colour combinations for your pots and borders. Choose the best winter and summer flowering plants and shrubs with these planning ideas to enjoy wonderful colour in your garden all year-round. Plants which live for more than two consecutive growing seasons are known as perennials. 14. Growing plants in pots is a cleaner, more convenient way of gardening for many people. So much for the shrub border, having 12 months of colour or all year round interest. Focus on shapes to add interest to garden borders. Focus on form. But we’re here to make it easier. Designing year-round gardens ensures that your home is surrounded by color and interest through all four seasons. Creating colour in your garden and home through the winter months takes planning. Plant nasturtiums around the base of fruit trees to help repel insects. Perennials can look sparse when first planted. They come in a whole range of foliage colours and many have showy or fragrant flowers too. Generally, ground cover plants are planted at the front of borders creating a carpet that leads up to the path or lawn, with medium plants behind and larger shrubs and plants at the back. Shrubs: smaller for year round interest Shrubs form the framework of the garden and if selected carefully, can provide interest throughout the year. There are plenty of good plants for year-round interest, but some Many of us have small gardens, so it’s important to always go for the best. Plants establish in the ground quickly, before the cold winter weather sets in and will take off quickly once spring arrives. Autumn is the ideal time to plant a border ready for the following year. I love a small bouquet of the blooms, and the spicy foliage is great in salads and cream cheese dip. So, let's take it a bit further and see what can be done to give a full shrub border that has interest throughout the year. Discover plants that look good all year. Advice on planting year-round lush, thriving, colourful herbaceous perennial flower borders. You need quite a large area to fit in so many different plants, but in a small garden you can make a smaller mixed border without the trees and use only small shrubs. Discover 10 plants that look good in the garden (almost) all year round, including shrubs and trees, with expert advice from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Designer Andy Sturgeon recommends his top 15 plants for year-round interest. October is the time to get planting! Depending on where you live, your growing conditions can make choosing the right plants for year-round appeal a difficult task. Before beginning your garden, create a year-round garden planner where you can identify the plants that will bloom each season in your garden. Green, non-woody, flowering perennials include lily of the nile, hummingbird mint and yellow-flowered garlic. 14. Grasslike plants make an excellent texture statement. WHEN TO PLANT YOUR BORDER. The upright, narrow habit of this cultivar of our native arborvitae fits the bill as the vertical accent that many containers need. The shape of plants is just as important as flower colour and because it’s around for much longer (with woody plants, all year round), shape helps to structure the planting. Plant spires of foxglove, a dwarf ornamental tree, or a shrub for height. How to choose Shrubs for all year interest. With a growth cycle that runs like clockwork, year after year, these perennials burst into flower in the warmer months, die back over winter, and perform the same amazing ritual again with each passing year. Try to integrate three or more plants that have the chosen texture. This tiered approach to gardening is a great way to structure all your beds and borders, creating a picture-perfect finish that will wow your friends and family. Plant it in full sun or light shade.Emerald arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Emerald’, syn. Like all salvias, 'Caradonna' loves sun; use it as a purple ribbon through late season grasses or, at 18in (45cm), it is the perfect centrepiece for … Before beginning your garden, create a year-round garden planner where you can identify the plants that will bloom each season in your garden. Year-Round Garden Planner. Year-Round Garden Planner. The colour and texture will then supply the finish. Read on and discover the best evergreen shrubs for On a more practical level, nasturtiums will protect tomatoes from aphids and whiteflies.