Simple no-dig method to create a garden border in 8 steps – using your old Amazon cardboard boxes – will transform outdoor space for spring
If you have yet to fall down the flower-farm rabbit hole on social media, Milli Proust is a renowned UK-based gardener and co-founder of the floral design studio Alma Proust, which she co-runs with business partner Paris Alma.
Proust lives in a 17th-century cottage in Petworth, West Sussex, with her partner Ted Dwane, bassist for folk-rock band Mumford & Sons, and their young son Rex.
She has thoughtfully zoned ten acres of field and woodland surrounding the property into distinct garden spaces – from a cutting and rose garden to a greenhouse, wildflower meadow, kitchen herb garden and an orchard for Dwane’s cider-making.
Here Proust shares the top tips and tricks she used to bring her borders to life.
Milli’s border garden six months in, featuring her favourite north-facing-tolerant rose, Olivia Rose Austin.
HOW TO CREATE A BORDER GARDEN FROM SCRATCH
Borders define, soften and add structure and colour to a garden of any size. They also serve as a habitat for wildlife to thrive.
When creating new borders, I favour the no-dig method – a simple approach that avoids turning or disturbing the soil. Digging can disrupt beneficial microorganisms, bring buried weeds to the surface and damage the soil’s natural structure. The no-dig technique feeds the ground from above, using layers of compost or organic matter to nourish plants, and leaves the life below undisturbed.
The size of your bed or border ultimately comes down to personal preference and the space you have available. I prefer a wide border of at least one metre to give plants space to grow.
YOU WILL NEED
★ Garden stakes To plot out the border size and shape.
★ Rope or string Secured around the stakes, this helps to mark the border edge.
★ Lawn mower To cut the grass as short as possible around the border garden.
★ Cardboard Untreated, thick cardboard suppresses weeds and acts as a barrier. (Amazon largely uses untreated cardboard.)
★ Watering can or hosepipe To water the cardboard and plants thoroughly.
★ Wheelbarrow To transport compost and plants.
★ High-quality compost or well-rotted organic matter Enough to spread to a depth of around 10cm. There are some good online compost calculators to help you work out how much you’ll need.
★ Plants A selection of plants suited to your border design. This will depend on whether you have acidic or alkaline soil. To find this out, test your soil with a pH kit (diy.com sells a selection) and then check the consistency: is it sandy (dry) or clay-like (retains moisture)? Plants such as ferns, hostas or astilbe work well in moisture-retentive soil, whereas lavender, thyme and coneflowers work better in dry soil conditions.
I have heavy clay soil in my border and used plants including Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’, Aquilegia ‘Nora Barlow’, Digitalis purpurea ‘Alba’, Geranium ‘Rebecca Moss’, Helleborus ‘Ice N’ Roses’, Heuchera ‘Apple Crisp’, Linaria purpurea ‘Springside White’, Malva moschata ‘Alba’, Nepeta mussinii ‘Alba’, Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’ and ‘Tom Thumb’, Sidalcea ‘Rosaly’.
★ Trowel For making shallow holes through the cardboard.
★ Half-moon turf cutter or flat-backed spade For creating neat edges around your completed border.
THE STEP-BY-STEP
1 MARK THE BORDER
Place your stakes in the ground at intervals to mark out where you want your planting bed. Tie rope or string around the stakes to outline the edges and ensure a defined area to work with.
Milli marks out her border garden by placing stakes in the ground at intervals.
2 PREP THE AREA
If your border is being created within a grassy area, mow the grass as short as possible. Pull out any persistent large or perennial weeds, such as dandelions or dock, to prevent regrowth. I recommend removing weeds as soon as they come up and topping up the organic mulch by a few centimetres once a year.
3 ADD A CARDBOARD LAYER
It may seem strange, but spread thick, untreated cardboard over the border area, ensuring there are no gaps. This will suppress any small remaining weeds and will decompose naturally over time. Make sure there is no plastic tape on your cardboard and remove any stickers. Wet the cardboard lightly with a watering can or hosepipe. This helps it stay in place.
She spreads untreated cardboard over the area to suppress remaining weeds.
4 SPREAD YOUR COMPOST
Use compost or well-rotted organic matter and spread to an even depth of around 10cm over the cardboard. The border will initially be slightly raised because of the added compost layer, but will even out over time as the cardboard breaks down and the compost settles, integrating into the soil.
Milli spreads compost to an even depth of around 10cm over the cardboard.
5 SET OUT YOUR PLANTS
Before you start planting, sit your plants – still in their pots – on the soil in a rough approximation of your design. Try these tips:
★ Select your plants Consider shape and height. A mix of spire-like, dotty and mound-shaped plants can create visual interest and help balance the border.
★ Group in odd numbers Use clusters of three, five or seven plants for a less regimented look.
★ Create repetition Repeat the same plant or colour throughout the border to create rhythm and cohesion. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect. This is your chance to get a sense of spacing and flow and to move pots around before committing.
★ Check the look Step back and view the layout from different angles to ensure it feels balanced and visually appealing. Move anything that doesn’t work.
She uses a flat-backed spade to create clean edges around the border garden.
6 CHECK YOUR SPACE
Give plants enough room to reach their full size, but aim for a full, abundant border where bare soil is hidden during the summer. I plant based on the approximate mature size and spread, leaving minimal extra space. However, if you live in a humid climate or an area prone to disease, consider slightly wider spacing to improve airflow.
7 GET PLANTING
When you are happy with your layout, create small, shallow holes through the cardboard with a trowel where you want each plant to go. This allows roots to grow while the rest of the soil stays undisturbed. Gently remove the plants from their pots and place in their holes, backfill with compost and firm the soil around them. Water each plant thoroughly to help it settle in.
Milli’s border by the path includes Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Silver Queen’, Narcissus ‘Thalia’, Helleborus foetidus and tubs of ‘Pink Mix’ tulips. Garden Trading sells galvanised planters.
8 EDGE THE BORDER
Finally, for a neat finish, use a half-moon cutter or a flat-backed spade to cut clean edges around your border garden.
This is an edited extract from How Does Your Garden Grow? by Milli Proust with photographs by Éva Németh, published by Quadrille, £22. To order a copy for £18.70 until 30 March, go to mailshop.co.uk/ books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UKdelivery on orders over £25
