A New Bench For The Front Flower Border

May 30, 2023

This old stepladder has a new location this season! It has been in my front yard border for many years.

See what's in the border this year to take it's place.

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This old sawhorse I added to the front border in 2017, fell apart over the winter. (Another of my favorite pieces is gone too.)

So after visiting our local consignment/antique shop, I decided to bring home an 8' long wooden bench.

Keep following along for planting diagrams, the bench, and garden photos of my newly planted front border.

A lot of these lilies and perennials have been in the garden for a number of years. I added Cheers Yellow Calendulas along with Sprint Red Plus Wax Begonias to the front of the left side.

I also put in a six pack of Dusty Miller annuals in front of the border lilies. After the lilies are done blooming, the silvery foliage plant will cover the stems. (I hope) As always, I added three Butterfly Marguerite Daisies to the border.

AND HERE is the bench, all eight feet of it, in the center of the border. Buckets on the bench are planted with Calliope Red Geraniums and also red Cabaret Calibrachoa in the center.

I continued adding more wax begonias in white and in pink in front. Believe it or not, wax begonias can take sun. (At least in northern Minnesota they can.) The white chamber buckets are planted with another of my favorites, trailing verbena.

So far, I love the bench idea but it did tip over once so I had to stabilize it better, and wire it to the tall windmill.

On the right side of the border, many of the same perennials are emerging. The laundry tub is planted with Nesia Magenta Nemesias. The watering can has trailing Lanai Deep Pink verbena.

More emerging perennials in the back of the border.

The only tall annuals I usually find locally are Benary Giant Zinnias. It's hard to see them against the black dirt, but three Purple Fountain Grasses are planted behind the bench.

I love them to fill in gaps in the rear of the border.