A
herbaceous border is a collection of soft-stemmed (non-woody) perennials arranged closely together, usually to create a dramatic effect through colour, shape or large scale. The term
herbaceous border is mostly in use in the
United Kingdom and the
Commonwealth. In North America, the term
perennial border is normally used.
Herbaceous borders as they are known today were first popularly used in gardens in the
Victorian era. Hybridization and new imported plant species revolutionized the form of British gardens in the 18th and 19th centuries. In addition, the works of
Gertrude Jekyll, a British
20th century garden designer and prolific writer, popularized the use of the
herbaceous border through a revival of the British cottage garden.
The
herbaceous border was work-intensive, as the perennials had to be dug up every 3-4 years and divided to keep the bed clean-looking and prevent the plants from overgrowth. In
World War I this type of border became less popular in Britain as there was a shortage of labour to keep the gardens maintained. However, there are still some celebrated examples in British gardens.
References
Category:Gardening