Herbaceous border
Aherbaceous borderis a collection ofperennialherbaceous plants(plants that live for more than two years and are soft-stemmed and non-woody) arranged closely together, usually to create a dramatic effect through colour, shape or large scale. The term herbaceous border is mostly in use in theUnited Kingdomand theCommonwealth.In North America, the termperennial borderis normally used.
Herbaceous borders as they are known today were first popularly used in gardens in theVictorian era.Hybridization and new imported plant species revolutionized the form of British gardens in the 18th and 19th centuries. In addition, the works ofGertrude Jekyll,a British 20th-century garden designer and prolific writer, popularized the use of theherbaceous borderthrough a revival of the Britishcottage garden.
Maintaining the herbaceous border is work-intensive, as the perennials have to be dug up every 3–4 years and divided to keep the bed clean-looking and prevent overgrowth of the plants. InWorld War Ithis type of border became less popular in Britain as there was a shortage of labour to keep the gardens maintained. However, there are still some celebrated examples in British gardens. According to theGuinness Book of Records,the world's longest herbaceous border, at 215 metres (705 ft), is atDirleton Castle,East Lothian,Scotland.[1]
References[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^"Dirleton Castle & Gardens".Undiscovered Scotland.Retrieved3 October2017.
Sources[edit]
- van Der Horst, Arend Jan (1995) [1994]. "Herbaceous Borders".Art of the Formal Garden.Trans. from Dutch by Mary Charles. London: Cassell.ISBN0-304-34742-6.