Delve into a selection of beautiful borders to see how real-life gardeners put plants together. Whether you enjoy a bold and contemporary mix of perennials, timeless roses and cottage garden favourites, artful colour theming or flamboyant flowers mixed with a touch of the exotic, the four borders on the following pages will inspire you with their clever combinations.
A Mix of Modern Perennials
While the six-acre garden at Cheshire’s Abbeywood Estate may appear to be long established, it is in fact the relatively recent creation of its owners, Harry and Lynda Rowlinson, with help and inspiration from head gardener Simon Goodfellow. It all looked very different when Harry and Lynda moved into the Edwardian property here in 1987. As Harry explains: “There were some beds but no plants to speak of, and at the rear of the house was a narrow terrace and a set of feeble steps down onto the lawn. Lynda and I set about planting the existing beds, and we spent most weekends and evenings working on it when the weather was fit.”
Simon, who joined the team in 2009, had worked in various nursery and head gardener roles since moving to the UK from South Africa in 1999. He
