Here are the 7 Best Plants to Complement Your Landscaping

There are so many ways to dress up your landscaping and the small details make all the difference. What you choose as garden edging for your lawn or garden is a detail that can pull the whole space together and add a touch of your personal style. There's no reason to limit yourself to metal, plastic, or stone for your pathway and edging projects. Consider a "living" edge–using plants to define the borders.

Plants give a natural and creative appearance. They are dynamic–adding movement, contributing to color or bloom progression, and attracting wildlife such as birds and butterflies. Plant edging also complements and softens the edges of hardscape elements such as arbors, pavers, stepping stones, garden art, and other outdoor structures.

The best border plants must be the correct size to fit within your overall landscape plan. They should stay in place without constant pruning. They must be suitable for the spot you're planning out and have no acute pest or disease issues. As we said, the details matter–be sure the texture and color complement the rest of the space.

Here are some great plants to use as lawn and garden borders.

1. Hosta

Hostas are the perfect addition to any partially or fully shaded garden–this is where they excel as border plants. With a major diversity of leaf patterns and sizes to choose from, you'll likely find the perfect fit for your space. Some variants stay well under 10 inches in height, while others will grow to more than 2 feet tall! An added bonus: their blue, white, or purple flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies during the mid-summer.

2. Mop Head Hydrangea

The large blue, white, purple, or pink globes of hydrangeas pop up vibrantly in their preferred garden locations: ones with dappled sunlight. These medium-sized shrubs are perfect for separating garden corridors or rooms with their masses of deep green foliage and gorgeous blooms.

3. Dwarf Fountain Grass

Ornamental grasses are ideal for sunny borders. Dwarf fountain grass is a warm-season, clumping grass that grows 2-3 feet in height and 3 feet wide. Its green foliage sways in even the gentlest of breezes and produces pink "foxtail" blooms during late summer and early fall.

4. Creeping Thyme

Also called elfin, wild, or Breckland thyme–this ornamental herb features light purple flowers that bloom in late spring or early summer. This is the perfect border plant for terraces and steps. No worries if the plant gets a little trampled, the crushed blooms release a fresh, sweet fragrance as you pass by.

5. Stonecrop

Stonecrops can grow between 6 and 20 inches tall. Depending on the variety you choose, this plant can withstand almost anything–notwithstanding deer, drought, humans, and every type of moisture besides standing water. You can enjoy the vibrant summer flowers or keep the plant mowed short and green–gardener's choice!

6. Veronica Speedwell

Veronica, or speedwell, is a low clumping perennial. This plant thrives in sunny border areas. The flowers will appear as spikes above the foliage in either rich blues, pinks, purples, or even white. Ground cover varieties of this plant grow to about 6 inches tall–while mounding varieties will grow to about a foot tall.

7. Scarlet Dreams Cinquefoil

To add a little drama to a paved pathway, plant these low-maintenance, deep red flowers. Cinquefoil adds a visually interesting element during the spring and summer. They're also salt tolerant and deer ignore them.

Your One-Stop Landscaping Shop

Whether you need help designing your landscaping, contractors to get the job done, or a garden center for all your plant needs–Dundee has you covered. Dundee is your one-stop shop for improving your yard– with knowledgeable staff and an extensive list of services to help you achieve your dream yard or garden. Visit our website to learn more, or call the Plymouth location at (763) 559-4016 to speak with the team