Front Borders to Main Car Park

These newly planted borders have been designed with naturalistic, minimalist planting to provide a strong visual presence at the entrance to the village car park.  Plants include:

 

Grasses

Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ (all year, flowers in summer)

 

Shrubs/small trees

Cornus Alba ‘Baton Rouge’ (red stems in winter, blossom and leaves spring/summer/autumn)

 

Bulbs

Snowdrops Single Flowered (winter flowering)

Alliums ‘Christophii’, Giant Globe (spring/summer)

Camassia Quamash. (flowers in Spring, blue spires)

Daffodils. Pheasant Eye (flowers spring)

 

Perennials

Astrantia major ‘Burgundy Major’ (spring)

Salvia Nemorosa Caradonna(spring/summer)

Geum ‘Totally tangerine’ (spring/summer flowering, orange)

Rudbeckia ‘Goldstrum’

Verbena Bonariensis (summer)

Cephalaria Gigantea (summer)

Scabiosa Columbaria (summer)

 

As part of the new design the previous plants/bulbs in the borders were removed and redistributed at other sites across the village. The Bergenia 'Bressingham White' and 'Purpurea' remain in the borders and are incorporated in the new design given their role in supporting insects.

 

A major plant in the new design are the Karl Foerster ornamental grasses, recognised as being wind resistant, having a long seasonal interest, and providing a strong vertical backdrop and visual throughout the seasons.

 

As part of the naturalistic planting design alongside the Karl Foerster ornamental grasses the perennial planting includes, Geum, Astrantia Major and Burgundy Major, Salvia Nemorosa Caradonna, Verbena Bonariensis, Rudbeckia Goldstrum, and Oenothera Lindheimeri, Cephalaria Gigantea, Scabiosa Columbaria from early summer to autumn.

 

Between the ornamental grasses and perennials, for winter/ spring interest, snowdrops, daffodil bulbs, Pheasant’s Eye were planted together with Alliums, Christophii, Giant Globe  and Camassia, and winter interest in the stems of Cornus Alba 'Baton Rouge'.

 

Late summer into autumn and winter, the emphasis switches to beautiful textural contrasts as foliage and seed heads will take prominence in the new border display and the seed heads will provide an important food source/ shelter to support wildlife.

 

The new design takes a radically different approach delivering a new emphasis on sustainability, a simple future maintenance plan, careful consideration of layering within the design and successional planting.

 

The new design focuses on single flower pollinators throughout the borders with winter/spring bulbs and early late summer perennials. In addition to safe water stations for pollinators. Spent Allium flower heads are placed in the border providing a valuable source of food and habitat for wildlife thought-out the year.

 

The new design focuses on two or three plants at any one time to create focus on those plants and create maximum impact by repetition and repeat planting across the two borders. The ornamental grasses and perennials will provide swathes of naturalistic and successive waves of colour from spring to late autumn. It is intended, the focus on key plants throughout the season will encourage people to pause, appreciate and spike their curiosity about the planting/flowers.

 

The plants and wildlife will adapt and evolve in the borders, it is hoped the new design focusing on naturalistic and sustainable planting which will serve as an inspiring haven in the village. Demonstrating even in the most urban environment it is possible to create beautiful planting and design to support nature’s pollinators and wildlife.

 

The borders were designed for Eynsford in Bloom by Michelle Brown of Bloom Garden & Landscape Design, based in Eynsford, who provided her services on a voluntary basis.