These Perfect Plants That Make For Captivating Walkway Borders

Whether it’s the swooping line of a tightly shorn boxwood leading to a dramatic sea view or the soft edge of hostas on the charming walkway to a poolside patio, plants are a natural choice for walkway edging and borders. After all, like a room without baseboards, a garden without walkway borders is a garden unfinished.
While edging and borders may seem optional, don’t underestimate the impact they can have on defining an outdoor room. And the possibilities are as numerous as you can imagine from flowering shrubs to evergreen shrubs like boxwood to plants that thrive in the shade. Let find out These Perfect Plants That Make For Captivating Walkway Borders below.

These Perfect Plants That Make For Captivating Walkway Borders 

Creeping Thyme

This ornamental herb, which boasts pretty purple flowers, makes for a fragrant ground cover ideal for lining steps or between pavers on patios or terraces. When crushed, the flowers emit a fresh, herbal scent. Plant this deer resistant ground cover in full sun to partial shade.

Fountain Grass

Ornamental grasses such as fountain grass are ideal for planting along borders, paths, or driveways in that receive full sun. Dwarf varieties grow to two to three feet tall, and three feet wide, adn feature fine green foliage in the summer that produces pinkish “foxtail” blooms in late summer to early fall.

Mophead Hydrangea

These medium flowering shrubs, which produce blooms in shades of pink, blue, purple, and white, work well for lining paths and driveways that are in partial shade, and for separating gardens into smaller spaces. Their size also makes them ideal as standalone edging plants or for layering with other edging plants, like ferns or hostas.

Boxwoods

The pairing of boxwood and roses here, Iceberg roses is a classic, with the strong lines of the boxwood tempered by the abundance of the roses draping overhead. Designed by Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, with Christina Rottman, this elegant contemporary garden has a backdrop of mountains and the sea, dual senses echoed in the curving design of the lush boxwoods against the pebble mosaic.

Hostas

The long lived hosta is another classic choice for a garden path. Here, grass joined bluestone pavers are edged with variegated hostas for a soft and organic border along the walkway to a poolside dining terrace. Janice Parker Landscape Architects, with Darren Henault.

Ilex

This garden’s design, by Hollander Design Landscape Architects, with Haynes Roberts, centered two squares divided by a path lined with ilex holly hedges, which border the pool in two rows of varying heights. Ilex are popular alternatives to boxwood for borders and provide continuous color year round.

Moss Phlox

In bloom from April through May, moss phlox is a low-maintenance choice for borders and edging. You’ll sometimes see it referred to as creeping phlox. It’s an excellent choice for full sun or areas with sandy or rocky soil. That is once of These Perfect Plants That Make For Captivating Walkway Borders.

Hornbeam Hedges

If a lush green border has caught your eye, consider the hornbeam hedge. Similar to beech hedges, hornbeams will give you a brilliant display of seasonal color as the year progresses and can be trimmed to suit whatever shape you need for your space.

Zinnias

Amazingly versatile and easy to grow, zinnias can make for a dazzling display in a garden border. Plant a mix of varieties for various heights and colors to up the visual interest. Wait until spring to plant seeds directly in warm soil.

Begonias

With numerous varieties suitable for all manner of soil and climate conditions, begonias are a versatile garden border option. Most require partial sun. Chose plants with dark leaves rather than lighter, green leaves for more heat tolerance.

Alyssum

The charmingly dainty blooms of alyssum make an impact when planted in groups and, thus, are a popular choice for borders. They’re a great solution for groundcover and will grow anywhere from 6 to 12 inches in height. They’re well suited for zones 9 to 11.

Lady’s Mantle

The low maintenance, drought-tolerant flowering lady’s mantle provides lovely groundcover in walkways or underneath trees. The soft edges of the plant make it a perfect choice for borders in need of softening. That is also once of These Perfect Plants That Make For Captivating Walkway Borders.