Create a backyard border for birds

Ever wonder why all the birds are partying at the neighbor’s instead of your place? By offering plenty of food and shelter all season long, you not only attract birds but also encourage them to think, "This could be a perfect spot to nest!"

Siting a bird garden

This garden design incorporates a mix of native North American plant species, their cultivars and other plants that birds love. If your property is near a natural area, such as a woodland with large, mature trees, this garden would serve as an excellent transition between the woodland and lawn. But wherever you grow this garden, birds will enjoy the seeds, berries, insects and shelter that these plants offer. For optimal bird-watching, site the bed where you can easily view it from your window, especially in fall, when the garden bursts into autumn color. Avoid planting this garden next to your patio or driveway so birds don’t make a mess there.

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Create an ideal environment for birds in your landscape

Like shelter plants, birdhouses offer cozy nooks for nesting and provide safe spots away from predators and inclement weather. Supplemental bird feeders provide constant, reliable food, which is especially vital when other natural food sources are scarce. This mix of plants features flowers blooming at different times, stunning fall colors and even some winter charm. So, while it’s crafted with the birds in mind, it’s also a treat for you to enjoy every season!

Attract specific birds to your garden

Different bird species have specific needs for their homes, and not all birdhouses suit every bird. The bird box in this plan is designed for the northern flicker, a species that is experiencing population decline but is commonly found across North America in towns, woodlands and grasslands. Mount the birdhouse on a post 6 to 12 feet high, at the back of a border with a clear flight path. Fill the birdhouse with white pine wood chips, and clean and refresh with new chips each year either in fall after breeding season ends or early spring before it begins.

Add a nesting basket

Offer a pre-built nesting site in a tree by making a basket with one 12x12-inch piece of hardware cloth and placing it 6 to 10 feet high on a forked branch with branches hanging overhead. Use wire to secure the nesting basket to the tree. This is great for birds that like to nest out in the open, such as finches, mourning doves and robins. Some species will even return year after year to the same location to breed and raise their young. Don’t put more than one nesting basket in a tree.

Feed birds throughout the year

The elderberry, crabapple and beautybush in this design offer fruit in fall and winter, serving as crucial food sources for migrating birds. All the perennials in this plan provide seeds when the flowers fade. And nectar-rich Joe-Pye weed, threadleaf coreopsis, blazing star and yarrow attract hummingbirds during the growing season.

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Seasonal bird garden checklist

Plant this garden in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil. Leave the perennials and grasses standing through winter for visual interest and to feed the birds.

Winter garden to-do

In late winter, while plants are still dormant, prune the crabapple by removing dead, diseased or crossing branches. Similarly, prune elderberry by taking off any unwanted root suckers and any dead or diseased branches to encourage better flower and fruit production. Even though the roots are hardy, the beautyberry’s stems often suffer winter dieback in zones 5 and 6. Once new buds emerge, cut back the dead stems.

Early spring chores

In early spring, cut back the perennials and grasses to prepare plants for new growth and divide those that have become overcrowded. Deadhead coreopsis in midsummer using hedge shears or scissors to cut off all the spent flowers at once for a second flush in fall. Yarrow is known to spread somewhat aggressively through self-seeding and rhizomes. To control it, divide plants in early spring when new growth emerges or in late fall after flowers fade. Toss extras in the compost. Or cut back spent blooms before they seed, but birds, such as goldfinches, juncos and towhees, will likely eat them off the plant and ground before they can germinate in spring.

Late fall cleanup

Once a year, in late fall or early winter, remove old nests, which can harbor parasites and pathogens, from birdhouses. For both birdhouses and feeders, use a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part bleach, scrub thoroughly, rinse well and let birdhouses and feeders dry completely before refilling feeders with fresh seed or putting birdhouses back in place.

Keep birdfeeders clean to prevent disease

Clean birdfeeders at least once every two weeks. During times of heavy use or rain, clean them more frequently to prevent mold and bacteria growth, which can cause diseases among bird populations.  

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Bird-friendly garden planting plan

Meet the plants in this backyard bird border

Check out the lettered plan above and see the corresponding plant information in the slideshow below to find out more about the beautiful plants that make up this bird-friendly garden. Like this garden design? See our full collection of wildlife plans.

Chinese ground orchid pops in spring with brunnera and astilbe

The tropical elegance of Chinese ground orchid (Bletilla striata) is sure to stand out in a mixed planting like this and bring early season interest to your garden. Try this colorful combo to brighten up your shady beds and borders.

Chinese ground orchid’s vibrant blooms and ‘Emerald Mist’ brunnera’s blue flowers and silvery foliage bring early-season excitement in this mixed planting. When the blooms fade by midsummer, both plants’ leaves persist until the first frost.

After the spring show, delicate feathery plumes of ‘Maggie Daley’ astilbe sustain the color through the summer in this enchanting shade garden trio.

Meet the plants in this shade garden bed

A) Chinese ground orchid (Bletilla striata)
Pseudobulb; small, orchidlike pink-purple flowers from mid- to late spring; 12 to 18 in. tall, 6 to 12 in. wide; part shade; cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9

B) Astilbe (Astilbe chinensis ‘Maggie Daley’)
Perennial; pink-lavender plumes bloom in mid- to late summer; 24 to 28 in. tall, 16 to 20 in. wide; full sun to full shade; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

C) Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Emerald Mist’)
Perennial; airy blue flowers bloom above variegated foliage in early to midspring; 12 to 15 in. tall and wide; full to part shade; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

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Add colorful perennials to summer-blooming beds

With its vibrant orange summer blooms, ‘Mighty Chestnut’ daylily glows against the dark background of the urn in the garden plan above. The coppery foliage of 'Brass Lantern' foamy bells accentuates the warm colors, while 'Blue Skywalker' spike speedwell provides a cooling contrast. Sweetshrub's burgundy blooms age to brown by late summer, blending right in to this color palette.

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Plant care tips

Plant this combination in full sun for the most blooms, but part shade during midday can help prevent scorched leaves on the foamy bells. These plant companions appreciate more water during hot, dry weather to keep the foliage looking fresh. In early spring rake out dead foliage from the daylily and shear off dried stems of the spike speedwell and foamy bells an inch or two above the soil.

'Mighty Chestnut' daylily has a high bud count, so you'll get several weeks of successive flowers. Blossoms are long-lasting — up to 16 hours — more than the average daylily. Every day, snap off any withered flowers to make room for new buds that open on the same cluster. Once all the blooms are spent, deadhead the daylily by cutting the stalk off at the base of the plant.

Deadheading the spike speedwell can encourage a light rebloom. Snip off dried flower spikes of the foamy bells below the foliage to keep this plant looking tidy.Prune sweetshrub after it flowers only if the plant needs to be shaped.

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Meet the plants in this perennial bed

A) Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus Simply Scentsational^®)
Shrub; fragrant burgundy flowers in late spring to summer; full sun to part shade; 6 ft. tall, 4 to 5 ft. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

B) Spike speedwell (Veronica ‘Blue Skywalker’)
Perennial; blue flower spikes in midsummer to fall above dense, upright foliage; full sun to part shade; 28 to 30 in. tall, 18 to 20 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8

C) Daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Mighty Chestnut’)
Perennial; ruffled dark orange petals with burgundy eye and yellow throat in mid-to late summer; full sun to part shade; 24 to 30 in. tall, 18 to 24 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9

D) Foamy bells (Heucherella ‘Brass Lantern’)
Perennial; white bottlebrush flower spikes in late spring to early summer above coppery mounds of foliage; full sun to part shade; 12 to 18 in. tall, 18 to 24 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

Grow your own cut flower garden

Wouldn’t it be great if you could walk out your back door and cut a bouquet of flowers to enjoy on your table or windowsill? With this plan you can do just that. A layered arrangement with taller plants at the back of the bed and shorter ones up front makes it easy to see all the flowers at once. Still, there are bound to be bare spots at times once you’ve cut a few bouquets. So placing this bed at the end of the yard or in an out-of-the-way place, such as next to the garage, makes the empty patches less noticeable.

Design a garden for cut flowers

To keep a cut-flower border looking good, choose a mix of plants for season-long color. The bachelor’s button and thoro-wax thrive in the cooler temperatures of spring and fall but tend to slow down in summer’s heat. That’s OK because the rest of this group gets going in early summer and keeps at it until frost. All of the flowers in this plan rebloom, so by cutting stems for your vase, you’re actually encouraging more to grow.

Give plants protection

Placing this border right next to the garage provides some protection from storms that might flatten growing plants and put flowers in the mud. In addition, the tall amaranth, dahlia and Queen Anne’s lace will dress up what’s otherwise an empty wall.

Add a path

This 20x12-foot border has a mulched path that leads into the middle of the garden, making it easier to tend and harvest. Place a few steppers in the bed where you might need to cut flowers or deadhead. This helps minimize soil compaction.

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Tips for harvesting cut flowers

• The best times to harvest flowers are after the dew has dried in the morning and in the evening.
• Cut just above a leaf joint to help new stems form more quickly.
• If you angle the cut, it’ll expose more surface area, which maximizes water uptake and keeps the stem from resting flush on the bottom of the container.
• As you gather stems, place them directly in a container of water. This will help them last longer.
• Once you’re indoors, recut the stems under warm water and let them soak for a half hour to get rid of any air bubbles.
• Remove leaves or thorns that will sit below the water level in the vase to prevent rot.

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How to plant & grow this cut flower garden

To get the most flowers, choose a spot that gets full sun (6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day), and water at ground level to prevent foliar diseases that can crop up when overhead sprinklers wet the foliage. A 1- to 2-inch layer of organic mulch, such as bark chips, will help keep moisture and soil temperatures even. Fertilize with water-soluble plant food once a week at full strength to keep the blooms coming.

Some of these plants may need a little help to stay upright. Amaranth and dahlia have a thick main stem that’s easy to tie to a single stake. But thoro-wax has a bushy habit of slender relaxed stems. A half-hoop stake is a great choice for keeping this plant from flopping.

Prepare soil for planting seeds

Loose soil makes it easier for the roots of freshly planted seeds and young seedlings to take off. This is especially important in a bed of mostly annuals like this one. So every spring, pull back last year’s mulch and dig down or till 6 to 8 inches deep to break up the clods. Then rake the soil even and your planting bed will be ready to go.

When to plant flower seeds

You can direct sow these seeds in the garden or start with plants from the garden center, though you may not find these exact varieties there, you can easily order seeds online.

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To direct sow seeds outdoors, choose an overcast day if you can so the soil doesn’t dry out too quickly. The bachelor’s buttons and thoro-wax seeds can go in as soon as the soil can be worked in spring. Sow the tall zinnia, Queen Anne’s lace and amaranth when all danger of frost is past and soil temperatures are 55 to 65 degrees F. Because the globe amaranth, snapdragon and celosia take so long to flower (up to 110 days), it’s a good idea to start them indoors or buy plants in spring. Dahlia tubers can go in when soil temperatures are at least 60 degrees F.

Seedling care tips

Thin seedlings to the distance recommended on the seed packet using a pair of scissors or snips instead of tugging so you don’t pull more than you mean to. After a seedling has two or three sets of true leaves (the ones that look like the parent plant) pinch out the growth tip to encourage branching. You should be able to enjoy your own cut flowers in a couple of months!

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Meet the plants in this cut flower garden

Check out the lettered plan above and see the corresponding plant information in the slideshow below. Click through to learn more about each plant in this cut flower garden design. Although we mention specific varieties in this plan, you can alter the plant mix based on your preferences or what is available to you!

Add a burst of spring color with ‘Hino-Crimson’ azalea

The vibrant blooms of ‘Hino-Crimson’ azalea are real attention getters. It’s a no-brainer as a specimen but fits in well with other border companions too.

Early spring brings loads of blooms from ‘Hino-Crimson’ azalea and the dainty white flowers of summer snowflake scattered below. A little later, the tight fiddleheads of interrupted fern push through the soil.

As temperatures keep rising and summer arrives, spring flowers are replaced by astilbe’s tall violet-red plumes. Even after the color has faded, the blooms provide interest and structure until frost.

Growing conditions for this spring garden border

This garden plan was made for the shade; all the plants listed below will do well in a part-shade environment. Grow the 'Hino-Crimson' azalea in dappled light with protection from the afternoon sun so the foliage won’t burn.

To get the best from your Chinese astilbe and interrupted fern give them regular moisture. A couple inches of mulch helps keep moisture even. They both also prefer neutral to slightly acid soil. In sandy soil add lots of organic matter, such as compost or peat moss, before planting so it’ll hold moisture well. Peat moss also lowers the pH, which is important if you’re growing in alkaline soil.

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Plant care tips

• Azaleas have shallow roots so when you plant, set the crown at the same depth it was growing in the pot to avoid smothering the roots or causing the plant to rot. A 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch helps retain moisture and keep soil temperatures even.

• In spring, the newly emerging silvery white “fiddleheads” of interrupted fern are striking in appearance. The broad, soft, almost chartreuse green fronds are “interrupted” in the middle with little leaflets that fall off in mid-summer.

• Chinese astilbe has mounds of lacy foliage and fuzzy plumes that add texture to your garden. When blooms fade you can leave the brown scapes in place for added interest or cut the stems off below the foliage to tidy things up.
  

• Summer snowflake bulbs won't be bothered by deer or rabbits. When it comes time to divide old clumps, dig them in the spring right after they flower and replant the bulbs immediately in moist soil and a bit of shade 3 inches deep and 6 to 8 per square foot. This is a bulb that reseeds, but very slowly.
  
  

Spring garden bed plant list

A) Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Hino-Crimson’)
Type Shrub Blooms Clusters of single, crimson-red flowers in early to midspring Light Part to full shade Soil Moist, well-drained Size 2 to 4 ft. tall, 3 to 4 ft. wide Cold hardiness USDA zones 5 to 8

B) Interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana)
Type Perennial Foliage Lush green divided fronds Light Full to part shade Size 2 to 3 ft. tall and wide Cold hardiness USDA zones 3 to 8

C) Chinese astilbe (Astilbe chinensis ‘Purple Candles’)
Type Perennial Blooms Violet-red plumes in summer Light Part to full shade Size 24 to 48 in tall, 18 to 24 in. wide Cold hardiness USDA zones 4 to 9

D) Summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum)
Type Bulb Blooms White flowers in mid- to late spring Light Full sun to part shade Size 12 to 24 in. tall, 2 to 4 in. wide Cold hardiness USDA zones 4 to 8

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Enjoy spring blooms in shade with cowslip

If you're looking for more spring color, this garden plan is just the ticket. Deep purple foliage of coral bells contrast with cowslip’s lemon-yellow blooms and bleeding heart’s delicate flowers and foliage in spring. Later, ostrich fern fronds unfurl to paint a backdrop of green. As cowslip and bleeding-heart fade away by summer, the garden remains vibrant with foliage texture into autumn.

Tips for growing this spring part-shade garden

• Grow this combination along a garden's edge or pathway in moist but well-drained soil where plants will receive morning sun and afternoon shade.
• Cut bleeding heart's foliage back to the ground once it begins to yellow from the summer heat.
• Deadhead spent flowers on cowslip, bleeding heart and coral bells to keep plants looking tidy. Cowslip may bloom a second time.
• A 1-to-2-inch layer of mulch will help conserve moisture and keep weeds at bay
• Fertilize in spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer.
• In early spring, protect emerging plants from a sudden frost with a protective cloth when temperatures reach below 32 degrees F.

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Meet the plants in this part-shade combination

A) Old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
Perennial; heart-shaped pink flowers with white inner petals from early to midspring; full to part shade; 24 to 36 in. tall, 18 to 30 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9

B) Coral bells (Heuchera ‘Shanghai’)
Perennial; small, bell-shaped white flowers emerge above silvery purple foliage from late spring to fall; full sun to part shade; 10 to 18 in. tall, 10 to 12 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

C) Cowslip (Primula veris)
Perennial; clusters of fragrant, yellow bell-shaped flowers from early to midspring; part shade; 6 to 12 in. tall, 12 to 16 in. wide; cold hardy USDA zones 3 to 8

D) Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
Perennial; fiddleheads emerge in early spring and unfurl into green feathery fronds from early spring to summer; part to full shade; 2 to 3 ft. tall, 1 to 3 ft. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7

Fall into winter with multiseason plants

The plants in this simple combination along an entryway path with a low wall make for a welcoming sight year-round, especially in late fall and winter. With its low profile and long, cascading branches, Hesse cotoneaster is perfect draping over a retaining wall, or just scrambling along as a groundcover under the canopy of larger shrubs or trees. Pink spring flowers open along the stem beside glossy green leaves, followed by red berries that persist into winter, providing an edible option for wildlife when food is scarce. Tatarian dogwood and coneflower add extra fall and winter interest to this planting.

Growing conditions for this fall and winter border

Plants in this entry border prefer full sun, but will also thrive in part shade. Give them plenty of water after planting to get them established, but after the second year they will tolerate dry weather with ease.

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Plant care tips

• Hesse cotoneaster's leaves are evergreen in warmer zones, but where winter temps often dip below freezing, foliage darkens, eventually drying and falling off by late winter. In early spring, rake out fallen leaves and prune any dead stems.
  

• Easy-to-grow Salsa Red coneflower’s striking red summer flowers give way to sturdy seedheads that birds will flock to all winter, so there is no need to deadhead spent blooms unless you would like a tidier look.
  

• Falling dogwood leaves reveal red stems that brighten by midwinter. Cut back 1⁄3 of the older stems to the ground each year to get better color on younger stems.
  

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Meet the plants in this multiseason garden bed

A) Hesse cotoneasterCotoneaster hessei
Shrub; pink flowers in late spring followed by red berries that persist into winter; full sun to part shade; 12 to 18 in. tall, 36 to 60 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 7

B) Tatarian dogwoodCornus alba Ivory Halo
Shrub; white flower clusters in late spring to early summer followed by white berries; full sun to part shade; 4 to 6 ft. tall and wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7

C) Coneflower Echinacea purpurea Sombrero^® Salsa Red
Perennial; bright red flowers in late spring through summer; full sun; 24 to 26 in. tall, 16 to 22 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

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Grow flowers that pop with fall color

Plant this grouping in spring, and the combination of texture and color will reward you in fall! Plus, these plants all continue to look good long after the first frost. Leave sedum and switchgrass to provide winter interest, but dig the dahlia tubers to save for next year. Garden mum foliage left standing will protect the crown from cold winter temperatures and late spring frost.

Growing conditions for this fall garden border

Full-sun and well-drained soil will give you the most flowers with the 'Nicholas' dahlia and garden mums, although the switchgrass and mealycup sage can tolerate clay soil. Stake the dahlias and sedum in spring when planting to help support heavy stems, and fertilize and pinch or cut back the flower buds into July to get a heavy flush of blooms in fall.

Plant care tips

‘Nicholas’ dahlia has vibrant 6-inch-wide melon-orange flowers that look beautiful in any autumn color palette, whether it leans cool or warm. You'll want to place metal or bamboo stakes when you plant the tubers to support the tall stems as they grow and provide consistent moisture.

Switchgrass is a sturdy ornamental grass that grows best in full sun and can handle sandy or clay soil. Its gray-green leaves have an upright, dense habit with rose-colored panicles and leaf tips in fall.

Garden mum is the colorful star of the fall season, coming in a wide array of hues. Always plant hardy mums in full sun and well-drained soil. Avoid locations that stay wet or where water collects. Garden mums are heavy feeders, so start with a granulated 10-10-10 fertilizer as soon as you see new growth in spring. Give them another dose of fertilizer in early August, or when you spot the buds forming.

Mealycup sage packs a purple punch all summer long and keeps going into fall. All it needs is full sun — it doesn’t mind the heat, won’t need frequent watering and it handles clay soil.

Tall sedum hits its stride in late summer to fall, when flat-topped flowers make the perfect landing pad for hungry bees and butterflies. Available in a variety of colors from green and chartreuse to pink and burgundy, tall sedum grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. The succulent-like foliage is drought-tolerant; in fact, too much water can cause the plant to rot. You can stake or cut back tall sedum in spring to help prevent the tall, heavy plant from splaying open.

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Garden plan plant list

A) Dahlia (Dahlia ‘Nicholas’)
Type Tender bulb Blooms Melon-orange blooms from midsummer to frost Light Full sun Size 36 to 48 in. tall, 18 to 24 in. wide Cold hardiness USDA zones 8 to 11

B) Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Apache Rose’)
Type Perennial Foliage Leaf tips turn rose in fall, just as rose-colored seedheads appear Light Full sun Size 40 to 48 in. tall, 24 to 30 in. wide Cold Hardiness USDA zones 4 to 9

C) Garden mum (Chrysanthemum ‘Red Carousel’)
Type Perennial Blooms Flowers have quilled red petals in early to late fall Light Full sun Size 24 to 26 in. tall, 12 to 16 in. wide Cold Hardiness USDA zones 5 to 9

D) Mealycup sage (Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria Blue’)
Type Annual Blooms Flower spikes of deep blue from late spring to frost Light Full sun to part shade Size 18 to 24 in. tall, 9 to 18 in. wide Cold Hardiness USDA zones 8 to 11

E) Tall sedum (Hylotelephium Autumn Charm™)
Type Perennial Blooms Flower buds open pink in early fall and age to brick-red Light Full sun Size 10 to 18 in. tall and wide Cold Hardiness USDA zones 3 to 9

Summer border combination

‘Millenium’ allium has an upright habit that makes it a cinch to tuck in between other summer-blooming plants and creates an interesting contrast to the mounding cushion spurge and snow-in-summer growing nearby in this garden plan. Its ball-shaped blooms stand out among the spiky salvia and domes of euphorbia. And if deer have been browsing your garden, this is one border they'll give a pass — these perennials rarely get nibbled.

Growing conditions for this drought-tolerant border

Give this drought-tolerant group full sun for the most flowers and best foliage color and well-drained soil to avoid rot. There's no real need to feed this group of plants that thrives in lean soil. Mulch every year or two with compost and it will provide plenty of nutrients to keep these plants healthy.

Plant care tips

'Millenium' allium doesn't need deadheading. Once the colorful midsummer flowers fade, the round seedheads provide an interesting accent for the border until late fall. This cultivar doesn't produce many seeds so reseeding isn't a problem.

Artemisia is mostly grown for its ferny silver foliage but small yellow flowers sometimes show up in late summer. They aren't that noticeable so there's no need for deadheading.

Cushion spurge and snow-in-summer do need to have fading flowers removed because they reseed prolifically (but aren't invasive). Instead of cutting individual flowers, make short work of this chore by using hedge shears to remove all the spent stems at once. Cut the outer stems a bit lower than the center ones to maintain a mounded shape.

'May Night' salvia blooms open from the bottom up. So once most of a flower spike has finished, cut it back to a pair of leaves so the side stems can take off. As those mature, sometimes the plant will splay open. If that happens, go ahead and cut all the stems back to the crown and new growth will fill in in a few weeks. While salvia does tolerate dry growing conditions, providing supplemental water during extra dry periods will ensure a stronger rebloom after the initial flush.

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Garden plan plant list

A) SalviaSalvia x sylvestris ‘May Night’
Type Perennial Blooms Tall spikes of deep purple flowers in late spring to early summer, rebloom with deadheading Light Full sun Size 18 to 24 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8

B) ArtemisiaArtemisia ‘Powis Castle’
Type Perennial Blooms Tiny, yellow-tinged silver flowers rarely bloom Light Full sun Size 2 to 3 ft. tall, 1 to 2 ft. wide Hardiness cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9

C) AlliumAllium ‘Millenium’
Type Perennial Blooms Large 2-in. bright rosy-purple rounded clusters in mid- to late summer Light Full sun Size 15 to 20 in. tall, 10 to 15 in. wide Hardiness Cold hardy USDA zones 4 to 9

D) Cushion spurgeEuphorbia polychroma
Type Perennial Blooms long-lasting chartreuse-yellow early spring bracts turn red, purple and orange in the fall Light Full sun Size 12 to 18 in. tall and wide Hardiness Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8

E) Snow-in-summerCerastium tomentosum ‘Silver Carpet’
Type Perennial; clusters of 1-in. white blooms in spring; full sun; 6 to 12 in. tall, spreading; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7

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Starting a colorful flower border from scratch

When you’re starting from scratch, it can be hard to know where to begin. That’s where Cynthia Libby found herself after adding a stone retaining wall and a small pond for water lilies in a portion of her zone 4 Maine backyard. She wasn’t sure what to put where in the 47-by-19-foot space in the photo below. She wanted something colorful and casual, but not too casual.

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Plant long-lasting flowers

You can see the design below. It fills one end of the yard and can be repeated on the other. Long-lasting flowers keep the garden colorful from early summer until fall, and pops of red and gold add life to the quieter color palette of pink, lavender and white. Deer haven’t been a problem in the past, but to be safe, this group of plants isn’t at the top of their dining list.

Add larger plants for structure

There are lots of trees around the yard, but it’s actually pretty bright here, so full sun plants should be fine. To connect the garden with the surrounding woodland and add structure to the back of the border, there’s a 6- to 10-foot-tall Eastern hemlock and a few ‘Phantom’ panicle hydrangeas that get up to 8 feet tall. ‘Phantom’ produces some of the largest hydrangea flowers, and the 15-inch blooms hang on through winter.

Golden Duke Eastern hemlock practically glows as the light fades in the afternoon. It naturally grows into a pyramidal shape so there’s no need for pruning. The astilbes flower just once, but as they fade they dry and keep their shape for quite a while. Give these perennials regular water to keep them healthy. Take a look at the maintenance and design tips below for more on what makes this garden work.

Maintenance tips

• To tidy up the hydrangea, prune stems back to 1 to 3 feet in late winter to early spring. For a shorter plant, cut the stems back to the ground. Panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so ‘Phantom’ will still flower after a spring pruning.
• Hardy hibiscus should have the dead stems cut back to the ground in early spring. New growth will take off from the crown in late spring.
• Deadheading spent blooms on the garden phlox helps plants rebloom more quickly.

Backyard border design tips

Create a stable base

Using stone pavers beneath the seating provides an even surface so the furniture doesn’t wobble.

Add clean edges to garden beds

Creating a crisp curved edge gives the yard a tidy look and echos the shape of the pond.

Seating options

Multiple seating areas give you a new perspective on the garden whenever you like. Take a seat on the bench to watch the water lilies on the pond or sit on a folding chair tucked into the garden to see blooms up close. Taller plants all around create a little hideaway out of sight from the rest of the yard.

Leave some room around seating

Leave plenty of room between the bench and the pond — 4 ft. — to stretch your legs out while seated or get from one side of the yard to the other.

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Meet the plants in this colorful backyard flower border

Click through the slideshow to learn about the plants in this beautiful garden plan.