Renovating a Border The objective in renovating a border is to improve the soil condition but adding bulky organic matter and digging. Remove all the plants that you can, dividing those that have become overcrowded, and heel them into a temporary 'nursery' bed.
Gorgeous borders require a lot of feeding - get the preparation right!
Shrubs and larger plants cannot be moved. Take care while to renovating the border that you do not damage them. Magnolias, for example, have fleshy roots and dislike interference. Some perennial plants and bulbs dislike being moved and will 'sulk' and refuse to flower after being moved. So be gentle when moving, don't move them unless these plants are dormant, or leave them in place and work around them.
First, take care to remove all perennial weeds, you can either use a weed killer or do this by hand. If weeding by hand, ensure that long, tap-rooted plants such as docks and dandelions are removed entirely. And every last scrap of convolvulus (bindweed) and couch (twitch) root or stem is safely consigned to the rubbish dump. Don't even risk trying to compost these heinous weeds! (You can also cover the border with black plastic to weaken the new spring growth on any plants, and carefully dig out any when you remove the plastic.
Then dig over and work the border over as above, and leave to settle for several weeks or over the winter.
Mowing Strips Many gardeners advocate the laying of a mowing strip along the border, a hard boundary of paving between the border and lawn. This mowing strip allows plants to fall forward without damaging or killing the lawn grass and enables you to mow without scalping your precious plants. It is a lot easier to lay a mowing strip before you plant the border than later.
To lay a mowing strip remove the turf along the lawn edge to a width matching your pavers and about 2.5 cm deeper. Place some mortar in the base of this strip and then lay pavers over the top, ensuring that you maintain a straight edge. Make sure the level of the paving is slightly below the lawn to prevent damage to your mower. Infill the gaps between the pavers with mortar to prevent weeds germinating in the gaps.
This border is enhanced by the mowing strip that allows plants to fall forward and soften the line between garden and lawn
