A Glowing Border Idea with Architectural Perennials and Grasses

Perennial Combinations, Plant Combinations, Flowerbeds Ideas, Summer Borders, Fall Borders

Garden Ideas, Border ideas, Perennial Planting, Perennial combination, Summer Borders, Fall Borders, Phormium tenax purpureum, Phormium Wildwood, Calamagroastis acutiflora, Feathergrass, Kniphofia Percy's Pride, Red Poker, Torch Lily, Imperata rubra

Wonderfully bold, this perennial border combines colors and shapes to create a long-lasting and spectacular effect from summer to fall. The recipe to achieve such a magnetically attractive garden is quite simple: combine the primrose flower spikes of Kniphofia ‘Percy’s Pride’ (Red Hot Poker) with the metallic blue heads of Eryngium x zabelii ‘Jos Eijking’ (Sea Holly) and the crimson foliage of Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’ (Japanese Blood Grass).

Add the majestic Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ (Feather Reed Grass) and architectural Phormium tenax Purpureum Group (New Zealand Flax). Underplant these easy-to-grow perennials and ornamental grasses with the glowing blooms of Arctotis x hybrida ‘Flame’ (African Daisy) and enjoy weeks of drama!

All plants are deer resistant, drought tolerant, and low maintenance.

Garden Information

Hardiness	7 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun
Season of Interest	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Maintenance	Low
Water Needs	Low, Average
Soil Type	Loam
Soil pH	Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance	Drought, Deer
Attracts	Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas	Beds And Borders
Garden Styles	Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden, Prairie and Meadow

Plants In This Garden

Kniphofia 'Percy's Pride' (Red Hot Poker)

Elegant, Kniphofia ‘Percy’s Pride’ features large, densely packed spikes of creamy primrose flowers opening from pale green buds from mid-summer to fall. Native to South Africa, this eye-catching plant provides weeks of soft color and flatters every other color in the garden, whether hot or cool.

Hardiness	6 - 9
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained

Arctotis x hybrida 'Flame' (African Daisy)

Native to South Africa, Arctotis x hybrida ‘Flame’ is a stunning African Daisy exhibiting large, 4 in. wide (10 cm), bright bronze-orange daisy-like flowers surrounding a golden disk and beautiful, and finely cut, silvery-green foliage.

Hardiness	9 - 11
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	8" - 10" (20cm - 25cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Well-Drained

Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron' (Japanese Blood Grass)

Striking and eye-catching with its brilliant crimson leaves, Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’ (Japanese Blood Grass) is a very distinctive ornamental grass. It produces upright, bright green blades whose upper half turns cranberry-red in summer and deepens to burgundy until late fall before it goes dormant in winter.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Plant type	Ornamental Grasses
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Clay, Loam
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained

Eryngium x zabelii 'Jos Eijking' (Sea Holly)

Tall, with larger flowers than other varieties, Sea Holly ‘Jos Eijking’ is extraordinarily eye-catching with its multitude of intense, iridescent metallic blue flowers, tightly packed into egg-shaped heads

Hardiness	5 - 9
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Well-Drained

Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (Feather Reed Grass)

One of the most popular ornamental grasses worldwide, Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ (Feather Reed Grass) is a majestic ornamental grass, highly valued for its erect feathery flower plumes, moving gracefully with even the slightest breeze. Fast-growing, reliable, with a multi-season interest, this cool season grass is not only beautiful, but it is also virtually carefree and quite versatile.

Hardiness	4 - 8
Plant type	Ornamental Grasses
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Soil Type	Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained

Phormium tenax Purpureum Group (New Zealand Flax)

Adding majesty to the garden year-round, Phormium tenax Purpureum Group (New Zealand Flax) is a very ornamental and robust evergreen perennial featuring a basal rosette of dark purple, strap-shaped leaves up to 6 ft. in length (2 m), that gracefully arch over toward the tips.

Hardiness	7 - 11
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	4' - 6' (120cm - 180cm)
Spread	4' - 6' (120cm - 180cm)
Soil Type	Loam, Sand
Soil Ph	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained

How Many Plants Do I Need?

Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas

Eryngium (Sea Holly) Calamagrostis (Reed Grass) Arctotis (African Daisy) Phormium (Flax) Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker)

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Alternative Plants to Consider

Arctotis x hybrida ‘Wine’ (African Daisy)

Eryngium bourgatii ‘Picos Blue’ (Mediterranean Sea Holly)

Kniphofia ‘Tawny King’ (Red Hot Poker)

Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ (Switch Grass)

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.