North Border
North Border has designed a garden that is sustainable and maintainable by planting four-season perennials that will keep the garden in constant bloom while being sensitive to maintenance and sustainability. The goal of the North Border is to become completely sustainable and to eliminate annual plants, replacing them with perennials with similar colors, shapes and bloom times. Our color palette is pink, white, lilac, burgundy, and near black. In addition to color, perennials have been selected for contrasting form, texture, and leaf shape. Rocks are situated throughout to add further texture, structure and depth to the garden, in colors that complement and highlight nearby plantings.
The North border is THE hydrangea place! There are several species and cultivars of hydrangeas throughout the border which provides an explosive background of white and pale pinks as they bloom into the summer.
Oenethera and angelina provide interest as they meander through other plantings, providing soft curves to offset the linear line of the sidewalk. Pinks and lavenders draw attention to and soften the dark foliage on both sides of the border.
There are small, round conifers in several places that help to set off taller, less shapely plantings. The conifers and dried hydrangea blooms add winter interest to the border.
The urn is planted each year with varying plants to add a special visual to the border. This year we are featuring a blue agave.
The crowning jewel of the North Border’s west side is the juniper which is pruned to reflect “clouds on the prairie.” This is maintained throughout the season to keep the structure open and airy. The pruning is often used as an educational opportunity.
Under the juniper is a garden of succulents and sedums, taking advantage of all the new colorful varieties available now. No longer just 'Hens and Chicks' and 'Autumn Joy'!
The dark elderberry shrubs by the fence provide contrast to the surrounding plants in both color and shape. These will grow in columnar form and bloom white in the spring. This columnar form repeats the obelisk columns on the other side of the border in plant form.
Every year some tropical succulents are used for additional interest. These are planted in their pots in the spring and removed in the fall to be overwintered inside.