The traditional flower border is having a rebirth. As gardeners aim to plant more for wildlife and alter cultivation methods so that gardens can withstand the warming climate, what we grow and how we grow it must change. For instance, a border might be planted on gravel or rubble to produce the drainage and microclimate that long-flowering drought-proof plants enjoy, and it will probably have a natural style, resembling extremely well-kempt countryside, in order to provide for pollinators. Of course, it could still incorporate all the design elements that make a flowerbed exciting: such as flashes of bold colour, vertical accents, and layers of willowy 'see-through' plants. But, most importantly, it will flutter and hum with a wealth of insects and flower non-stop.
Naturalistic blooms
Plants that resemble wildflowers create a more natural look and their simple flower shape makes nectar more accessible to pollinators. Airy asters (such as Symphyotrichum turbinellum and 'Coombe Fishacre') billow with small daisies that provide food for bees and butterflies; whilst primrose-yellow scabious Scabiosa columbaria subsp. ochroleuca and purple wild carrot Daucus carota 'Dara' produce a modern meadow look.
Drought-proof plants
Capable of withstanding high temperatures and long periods without rain, modern border plants fare well in no-water gardens, making them relatively low maintenance. The German pink Dianthus carthusianorum has long, thin stems and clusters of magenta flowers; blue-flowered Cupid's dart, Catananche caerulea, likewise has graceful, wiry stems and flowers over a long period; the clary Salvia sclarea var. turkestaniana 'Vatican Pink' forms towers of papery pastel petals; and toadflaxes (such as Linaria 'Lemon Twist') bloom in sweetshop colours.
Bee favourites
Ensure the soporific hum of happy bees fills the air by growing the flowers they prefer to forage from. Borage is always popular and both damson-coloured honeywort (Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens') and sky-blue Anchusa azurea 'Opal' are part of the borage family. Bees also adore catmints and one of the more unusual ones is the willowy pale-pink Nepeta nuda 'Romany Dusk'.
Butterfly magnets
Many of our butterflies are in decline, but gardens can provide sanctums of habitat and food. Oreganos (such as pink Origanum 'Rosenkuppel') are one of their favourite sources of nectar, as are the poker flowerheads of anise hyssops (such as Agastache foeniculum 'Alabaster'); both plants have wonderfully aromatic leaves. Butterflies will also flutter around the white and mauve blooms of sweet rocket (Hesperis matronalis), and, of course, they love the tangerine-coloured butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa).
Multi-season interest
Plants that perform in more than one season easily earn their place in the borders of small gardens. The woolly purple-blue flowers of Russian sage (Salvia 'Blue Spire') feed bees in summer, then its ghostly silver stems glow all winter. Likewise, the copper leaves of summer-flowering Libertia peregrinans are a delight when the temperature plummets. And both Achillea 'Terracotta' and Hylotelephium spectabile 'Brilliant' have wide flowerheads that butterflies and bees use as feeding platforms, before they brown and endure as architectural insect habitats during the cold months.
Cheering colour
Scatter small blasts of bright colour through borders to echo the poppy and cornflower tones of a meadow. Salvia microphylla 'Cerro Potosí' is hot pink and flowers for months. Potentilla thurberi 'Monarch's Velvet' is a regal rich red; the species tulip Tulipa sprengeri blazes scarlet in May and June; and drought-hardy Euphorbia seguieriana offsets them all with zinging lime-gold bracts.
Scented foliage
Many Mediterranean plants boast aromatic leaves and have the drought-tolerance that the contemporary border demands. The deliciously fragrant intermedia lavenders (such as elegant white Lavandula × intermedia 'Edelweiss') are the most popular with bees; the cotton lavender Santolina rosmarinifolia subsp. rosmarinifolia 'Primrose Gem' has beautiful pale-lemon flowers; and the incredible spicy stench of Helichrysum italicum 'Dartington' will hang in the air on warm days.
Movement and texture
Capture the wonderful dance that a meadow has on the breeze by incorporating lightweight prairie flowers (such as pink Echinacea pallida) and grasses. The stipa grass species are especially great for the well-drained, poor, dry soils of a gravel or hardcore garden. Stipa calamagrostis 'Algäu' has golden feathery plumes and Stipa ichu has fluffy blonde plumes that arch attractively, while the spikelets of the greater quaking grass, Briza maxima, shimmer on thin stems when the wind blows.
Flower power
The border stalwarts are the plants that bloom for months. Dainty mountain cranesbills (such as Geranium pyrenaicum 'Isparta'), airy Lindheimer's beeblossoms (including Oenothera lindheimeri 'Siskiyou Pink'), and flame-coloured Rudbeckia triloba 'Prairie Glow' always work hard, flowering from June to October.
Self-seeders
Plants that seed themselves around the garden – known as 'volunteers' in the US – help to create a natural mood. Many annual poppies are excellent contenders in very well-drained sun-baked ground, including pink Papaver dubium subsp. lecoqii 'Albiflorum' and 'Amazing Grey', which is rain-cloud blue. Borage is very easy to grow and the rare white form, Borago officinalis 'Alba', is gorgeous. Columbines (such as Aquilegia buergeriana 'Calimero') readily seed themselves, although the offspring may not resemble the original plant.
Vertical accents
Add structure and optical full stops by dotting long-legged biennials and perennials through a planting scheme. Foxgloves are ideal and Digitalis parviflora is a caramel-coloured perennial form that is more sun and drought-tolerant than most. Many biennial verbascums form towers of flowers from a central rosette and Verbascum lychnitis is white. Whilst the Culver's roots (including lovely Veronicastrum virginicum 'Lavendelturm') send up spires of bee-friendly flowers that also look good once spent, in autumn.
Airy plants for layering
Using plants that allow glimpses of what is growing behind them creates interesting layers in a border. Yellow Verbascum roripifolium and pink Sanguisorba 'Pink September' are both perfect for the job, as are several verbenas, including long-flowering Verbena macdougalii 'Lavender Spires', which sends up skinny candelabras of purple flowers that attract a wide range of insects, including butterflies.
