It has been a long haul, and it is far from over.  But the perennial border finally is showing the mass and shape I want it to.

Yes, mass and shape, not just flowers. I find it interesting that while I love flowers and color, what really makes my heart sing is shapes and spaces.

When I first did the design for Timshala Gardens, I put the perennial border in the plan as a shape.  It was a destination, reached by walking through the pergola, with a seating area drawing you through the perennials.  I didn’t know what plants I would use, though I did know the sizes of the plants.

Because the site is so large, and because the perennial border will most often be seen from a great distance, either the plants need to be tall, or, with smaller plants the masses of color need to be large.  I plant perennials by the 50’s, so even if an individual plant is delicate, from a distance the mass will give an architectural effect.  Just a few (in this garden less than about a dozen is a few!) would have no effect.

Here are a couple of sections of the border, from last year. More to come.