Elegant Edging

Partial shade

Average soil

What could be more welcoming than a walkway lined with flowers and foliage chosen for color, texture, and fragrance? Edging paths and sidewalks with perennials encourages passersby to stop and admire delicate blossoms and intricately patterned leaves up close. A planted strip also keeps lawn grass from growing right up to paved surfaces, so it eliminates the need for frequent trimming to keep those edges looking tidy.

The Garden Plan

Shopping List

1 ‘Blue Cadet’ hosta

Hosta

3 plants

Zones 3–8

Alternates: ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, ‘June’, or other compact hosta or another 9- to 18-inch-tall, shade-tolerant perennial, such as lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) [3 plants] or ‘Obsidian’ or other heuchera (Heuchera) [3 plants]

‘Blue Cadet’ hosta (Hosta)

2 ‘Evergold’ sedge

Carex

3 plants

Zones 5–9

Alternates: Bunny Blue (C. laxiculmis ‘Hobb’), Gold Fountains (‘Kaga-nishiki’), or other sedge or another 6- to 12-inch-tall, shade-tolerant perennial, such as golden Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) [3 plants] or Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) [3 plants]

‘Evergold’ sedge (Carex)

3 ‘Burgundy Glow’ ajuga

Ajuga reptans

12 plants

Zones 3–9

Alternates: Another ajuga or other 4- to 8-inch-tall, shade-tolerant perennial, such as ‘Sugar and Spice’ or other foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) [12 plants] or ‘White Nancy’ spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum) [4 plants]

‘Burgundy Glow’ ajuga (Ajuga reptans)

4 ‘Blue Ridge’ creeping phlox

Phlox stolonifera

6 plants

Zones 4–8

Alternates: Another creeping phlox or other 6- to 12-inch-tall, shade-tolerant perennial, such as woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) [6 plants] or yellow barrenwort (Epimedium × versicolor) [6 plants]

‘Blue Ridge’ creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera)

5 ‘Cameo Mix’ fan columbine

Aquilegia flabellata

6 plants

Zones 3–8

Alternates: Another 6- to 12-inch-tall columbine or other shade-tolerant perennial, such as ‘Lilliput’ or another dwarf astilbe (Astilbe) [6 plants] or a dwarf bleeding heart (Dicentra) [6 plants]

‘Cameo Mix’ fan columbine (Aquilegia flabellata)

Planting Plan

Season by Season

Spring: This simple edging strip begins the growing season with a cheerful abundance of bloom. It starts early with the soft purple-blue clusters of ‘Blue Ridge’ creeping phlox, quickly joined by the more intense purple-blue spikes of ‘Burgundy Glow’ ajuga, and then, toward the end of the spring, the spurred flowers of ‘Cameo Mix’ fan columbine in white and shades of blue or pink. ‘Blue Cadet’ hosta usually emerges late in the spring, and the new leaves of ‘Evergold’ sedge are showily striped with bright yellow.

An early spring cleanup lets all of this perennial beauty show off to best advantage. First, clip off any remains of the hosta and columbine. The phlox and ajuga may be evergreen but often brown, at least partly, by spring; snip off the damaged parts, if desired, or just let the new leaves cover them up. ‘Evergold’ sedge is even more likely to be evergreen; rake the clumps to pull out any damaged blades, or cut off all of the foliage about 3 inches above the ground. If you noticed last year that the hostas or sedges are getting too big for their places, early spring is a good time to divide them. When you’re done with spring maintenance, cover the soil with a fresh layer of organic mulch.

Summer: ‘Blue Ridge’ creeping phlox and ‘Burgundy Glow’ ajuga usually finish flowering by the end of spring but may continue into early summer in cool areas, along with main bloom of the ‘Cameo Mix’ fan columbines. The yellow stripes of ‘Evergold’ sedge eventually age to a cream color, but the clumps still look colorful for the summer, along with the pink-, white-, and green leaves of the ajuga. ‘Blue Cadet’ hostas’ blue-green leaves expand fully in early summer and are topped by stalks of light purple, trumpet-shaped flowers in midsummer.

Once their flowers drop, trim off the flower stalks of the columbines and hostas near the base of the plant, and cut off those of the ajugas and creeping phlox just above the leaves. Water the garden during extended summer dry spells.

Fall and Winter: The mix of leaf colors and textures keeps your edging garden looking attractive well into fall. ‘Burgundy Glow’ ajuga leaves are mostly bronzy green with a pink blush on the newest foliage by late fall; they stay that way for the winter in mild areas but often turn brown by later winter in colder climates. ‘Evergold’ sedge and ‘Blue Ridge’ creeping phlox leaves usually look pretty much the same through winter.

Early to mid fall is a good time to divide the ajuga, hosta, or phlox plants if they are outgrowing their spaces. Once cold weather turns the hosta and columbine tops yellow or brown, cut them off, if desired, or leave the garden cleanup until spring.

Digging Deeper