The Long Border

With the space provided, the mixed border is an ideal way to explore the full spectrum of plants, from shortlived annuals and ephemerals to trees and shrubs, interspersed through a rich matrix of herbaceous perennials thus providing changing displays throughout the seasons. 

This stretch of the border hosts important collections of salvias that flower late in the autumn when many gardens are already in retreat from frost.

Salvias are known as short day length plants, because their flower cycle is prompted by a day length shorter than 12 hours. All summer they grow vegetatively and begin to flower around the autumn equinox.

Salvia uliginosa sports striking sky blue flowers and other salvia flowers cross the whole spectrum from blue to red.