flowerpotman landscape gardeners and gardening services

Herbaceous borders are bursting with colour, to get that informal cottage garden look try to get some height into your borders There are four fairly  easy to grow and maintain herbaceous perennials that will give you that cottage garden look.  Foxgloves, Lupins, Delphiniums and Hollyhocks. 

You will be able to buy them at your garden centre now. but better still and less damage to your pocket have a look around the local car boot sales and gardening friends gardens.  

Plants them in at least groups of three for more effect as soon as you can to give the roots plenty of time to establish before flowering time.

 Foxgloves are quite happy in shaded areas of the border , are biennial and will self seed, so you could be selling them on your own car boot stand next year !!

Lupins are an old-fashioned perennials happy in both sun or partial shade. slugs love em, so be prepared to defend them . Cutting back the faded flowers encourages more flowers later into the summer.

Delphiniums will give a lovely display but are the most difficult to look after. They like a sheltered sunny spot and can grow  up to 6ft so will need staking, again slugs and snails love em. 

Hollyhocks produce spires of rosette-like flowers through from July until September and like full sun and  good soil, you will need to stake Hollyhocks as they can grow up to 9ft. 

 Foxgloves,  Lupins, Delphiniums and Hollyhocks will add height, colour and an informal cottage garden look  to your borders and are well worth the extra bit of TLC you will need to give them.