Chart for Border Basics 6: Renovating an Existing Border

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Home » Garden Design

Submitted by mgodfrey on October 18, 2003 – 12:10 amNo Comment

In the September/October 2003 issue of Horticulture, noted Seattle designers Glenn Withey and Charles Price share their expertise on renovating an existing border. Included with the article is a chart detailing perennials for flower and foliage. Below you will find additional charts for key annuals, woody plants, and container plants

Learn more about this series of articles.

ANNUALS & BIENNIALS

White/Green
Name	Description
Antirrhinum ‘Rocket White’	spikes of typical snapdragon flowers; 28-36 in.
Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Purity’	single white flowers; 36 in.
Lavatera trimestris ‘Mont Blanc’	bushy plant with hollyhock-like flowers; 24 in.
Nicotiana alata ‘White Fragrance’	white tubular flowers especially fragrant at night; 30-36 in.
Nicotiana langsdorffii	small green tubular flowers with blue anthers; 3-5 ft.
Nicotiana ‘Lime Green’	flowers are a subtle greenish yellow; 30 in.
Nicotiana sylvestris	imposing plant with drooping, tubular fragrant white flowers; 5 ft.
Zinnia angustifolia ‘Crystal White’	abundant single white flowers on compact plants; 12-14 in.

Blue
Name	Description
Ageratum ‘Blue Danube’, A. ‘Blue Horizon’	dense clusters of small fuzzy blue-violet flowers; 6-8 in. and 30 in. respectively
Cerinthe major ‘Purpurescens’	biennial with arching, blue- and purple-tinted bracts and small purple bell-shaped flowers; 24-30 in.
Cynoglossum amabile	forget-me-not relative with typical small blue flowers; 16 in.
Lobelia erinus cvs.	bedding plants with small flowers from dark to light blue to white; 4 in.
Lobelia richardsonii	trailing species with bright blue, white-eyed flowers; sometimes perennates; 12 in.
Nemophila menziesii	spreading plant with sky-blue, white-eyed, cup-shaped flowers; 8 in.
Nigella damascena	old-fashioned cottage-garden plant; decorative seed pods; 18-30 in.
Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria’, S. f. ‘Strata’	both bear deep blue flowers on woolly spikes; 24 in.
Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’	showy hybrid with deep blue, densely flowered spikes; 32-56 in.
Salvia patens	flowers are large, true gentian blue; not borne abundantly; 30 in.
Nicandra physalodes	vigorous plant with wavy-margined leaves and pale blue, cup-shaped flowers; lantern-like fruits; 3-4 ft.

Yellow
Name	Description
Antirrhinum ‘Rocket Yellow’	yellow equivalent of ‘Rocket White’; 28-36 in.
Helichrysum spp.	strawflower obtained from a local Seattle-area nursery

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WOODY PLANTS

Blue
Name	USDA Hardiness Zones	Description
Clematis ‘Perle d’Azur’	4-9	heavy-blooming viticella hybrid with rounded, mid-blue flowers; 10-12 ft.
Ceanothus ‘Henri Desfosse’	8-10	strong-growing deciduous hybrid with deep violet-blue flowers; 5 ft.
Hibiscus syriacus ‘Oiseau Bleu’ (‘Blue Bird’)	5-8	old favorite with red-centered bluish lavender flowers; seeds itself heavily; 8-12 ft.

Yellow
Name	USDA Hardiness Zones	Description
Cornus stolonifera ‘Sunshine’	2-8	glowing pale yellow to chartreuse foliage, red stems; 10-12 ft.
Cornus kousa ‘Sunsplash’	5-8	narrow-growing selection with bright yellow-edged leaves; to 15 ft.
Hedera colchica ‘Sulphur Heart’	6-9	large-leaved ivy with bright gold and lime green variegation; 9 ft.
Hypericum Xinodorum ‘Summergold’	7-9	gold young foliage that becomes splotched with green as it matures; 4 ft.
Philadelphus coronarius ‘Aureus’	4-8	fragrant white early-summer flowers and golden foliage that gets greener with summer heat; 10-12 ft.
Rosa ‘Flutterbye’	5-9	tall shrub with large single deep yellow flowers that age to a pink-gold blend; to 8 ft.
Rosa ‘Golden Wings’	4-9	vigorous, prickly shrub with single pale yellow flowers with darker stamens; to 6 ft.
Rosa ‘Graham Thomas’	4-9	vigorous Austin rose with fragrant, clear yellow, old-rose-form flowers; 6-10 ft.
Spartium junceum	8-10	quick-growing broom with masses of small yellow pea flowers in summer; 9 ft.

White
Name	USDA Hardiness Zones	Description
Eucryphia glutinosa	8-10	elegant large shrub with white flowers in late summer; good fall color; 10-20 ft.
Magnolia sinensis	5-9	fragrant white nodding flowers with magenta stamens in early summer; to 20 ft.
Philadelphus coronarius ‘Variegatus’	4-8	white fragrant flowers and creamy white-margined leaves; not vigorous; 6 ft.
Rosa ‘Darlow’s Enigma’	4-9	vigorous shrub or rambler with nonstop clusters of small, fragrant semidouble flowers; to 10 ft.
Paeonia rockii	4-8	magnificent tree peony with ruffled white flowers with crimson blotches; to 6 ft.

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CONTAINER PLANTS

Name	Description
Argyranthemum ‘Dana’	compact, white-flowered marguerite
Heliotropium arborescens ‘Album’	white-flowered version of the familiar heliotrope
Begonia ‘Non-Stop Yellow’	tuberous variety with large, double, deep yellow flowers