A Fresh Border Idea with Monarda, Geranium and Phlox

Perennial Combinations, Plant Combinations, Summer Borders

Garden Ideas, Border ideas, Perennial Planting, Perennial combination, Summer Borders, Monarda, Bee Balm, Phlox Paniculata, Geranium Rozanne, Double Geranium, Salvia Caradonna, Baptisia, Culver's Root

A lovely plant combination for a long-lasting display. Easy to grow, the plants selected offer a soft harmony of pink, blue and purple shades that are soothing to the eye. The planting palette includes herbaceous perennials chosen for their individual qualities, such as Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (Cranesbill), Geranium pratense ‘Plenum Violaceum’ (Meadow Cranesbill), Monarda ‘Beauty of Cobham’ (Bee Balm), Phlox paniculata ‘David’ (Garden Phlox), Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Album’ (Culver’s Root), Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ (Sage) and Baptisia × bicolor ‘Starlite’ (False Indigo).

Most plants are top performers and recipients of prestigious awards. Enjoy!

Garden Information

Hardiness	5 - 8
Heat Zones	2 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Maintenance	Average
Water Needs	Average
Soil Type	Loam
Soil pH	Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics	Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Attracts	Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas	Beds And Borders
Garden Styles	Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden

Plants In This Garden

Geranium Rozanne (Cranesbill)

Geranium Rozann is an exceptional, unique, and unsurpassed geranium selection. There are not enough superlatives to describe this fabulous perennial.

Hardiness	5 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Characteristics	Plant of Merit, Showy

Geranium pratense 'Plenum Violaceum' (Meadow Cranesbill)

An exquisite double-flowered variety of Meadow Cranesbill, award-winning Geranium pratense ‘Plenum Violaceum’ is incredibly beautiful. It forms dense mounds of jaggedly-lobed, dark green leaves, topped in late spring – midsummer with profuse and very attractive, double violet-blue blossoms delicately flushed purple at their heart

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid),
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Plant of Merit, Showy

Monarda 'Beauty of Cobham' (Bee Balm)

Providing a fascinating floral display in summer, award-winning Monarda ‘Beauty of Cobham’ (Bee Balm) is a clump-forming perennial boasting masses of pale purplish-pink flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm), borne in dense, globular terminal heads. Blooming for weeks from mid-summer to early fall, they rest upon a whorl of decorative purple bracts and attract scores of butterflies and hummingbirds.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy

Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)

Winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, Verbena bonariensis is a tall and slender-stemmed perennial that displays rich lilac flowers in tight clusters atop long stems that sway gracefully in the summer breeze. They rise well above rosettes of lance-shaped, dark green leaves that hug the ground. A superior nectar plant, hummingbirds and butterflies love it, and so will you!

Hardiness	7 - 11
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm)
Spread	1' - 3' (30cm - 90cm)
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy

Phlox paniculata 'David' (Garden Phlox)

Vigorous and free-flowering, Phlox paniculata ‘David’ features fragrant, pure white flowers, densely arranged in pyramidal clusters atop upright, sturdy stems which seldom need staking.

Hardiness	4 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late),
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy

Veronicastrum virginicum 'Album' (Culver's Root)

Extremely showy, Veronicastrum virginicum’ displays eye-catching spikes of densely-clustered, tiny, pure white flowers with pink-flushed bases and pink anthers, from midsummer to early fall. With a candelabra look, these attractive inflorescences are nicely complemented by lanceolate, dark-green leaves that are arranged in whorls around the stem. Providing interesting vertical height in the garden, this plant is deer resistant, attracts scores of butterflies, and is highly prized for its cut flowers

Hardiness	3 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	4' - 6' (120cm - 180cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Showy

Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' (Sage)

Multiple award-winner, Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ is a favorite of many gardeners for its unique, glowing dark purple stems and stunning, vertical spikes of rich, violet-blue flowers appearing in late spring or early summer

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid),
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy

Baptisia x Bicolor 'Starlite' (False Indigo)

Opening from deep violet-lavender buds in late spring, the pea-shaped flowers unfurl into attractive periwinkle-blue blooms with contrasting creamy keels. Borne on gracefully arching branches, they last for weeks and attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early),
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Characteristics	Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Showy

How Many Plants Do I Need?

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.