Welcome to the South Border where the color scheme includes pink, purple, coral, burgundy and dark magenta. Plants with white or yellow flowers and those with silver or bright chartreuse foliage create contrast and light up darker areas. The border meets the definition of “full sun” with more than six hours of direct sunlight per day, so we choose plants that thrive in that level of light. The South Border contains Black Lace Elderberry, Red Twig Dogwood, zinnias, petunias, salvia, shrubs, evergreens, and herbaceous perennials. Look down the length of the border to get the effect of the layers in the border—short in front, then medium, and tall in the back by the fence.

Highlights

• Elderberry ‘Black Lace’ is cut back to the large stems in the spring, but then fills out over the course of the summer and is pruned at least once more to maintain its size. Airy flowers contrast with the dark foliage of this fast-growing shrub. The dried flowers and cooked berries are used in teas, liquid extracts, and capsules.

• Red Twig Dogwood ‘Midwinter Fire’ (Cornus sanguinea): In the east half, it shows off its coral-colored branches in winter after losing its leaves in the fall. A beautiful contrast in the snow, the branches draw a visitor’s eyes immediately. They remind us to make our gardens interesting in all four seasons.

• Betony ‘Hummelo’ was the 2019 Perennial of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association. Its foliage is not susceptible to pests.

• The false indigo 'Twilite Prarieblues' is a particularly lovely plant in our border. It has deep purple buds that open to smoky violet-purple flowers with lemon-yellow keels. The long-lasting flowers appear on upright spikes in late spring into early summer. Charcoal black seed pods add visual interest to the fall landscape.

• Verbena bonariensis: With tall, purple blooms, it is a “see-through” plant and a heavy reseeder. There are shorter varieties available as well.