Garden Edging Plants

Catmint

• Catmint (Nepata) produces masses of small blue flowers in mounds about 2 feet tall and wide. This easy-to-grow perennial with long-lasting blooms makes an ideal edging plant. It tolerates heat, drought and wind and grows in just about any soil. Catmint blooms in mid-spring and will bloom again in late summer if cut back. Cats love these clumps of scented gray-green foliage. Catmint performs best in full sun and is hardy is U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 3 through 10.

Coral Bells

• Coral bells (Heuchera) are admired not only for their delicate cup-shaped flowers, but for their striking foliage. They are often used as a border. The leaves can be ruffled, veined or lobed and come in colors ranging from burgundy to chartreuse. They form mounds from which wiry stems emerge with pink or red bells. The stems can be up to 2 feet tall, but they are delicate enough not to block the view of flowers growing behind them. Hardy in zones 4 through 9, coral bells grow in full sun to partial shade.

Lamb's Ears

• Lamb's ears grow into a mass of silvery-gray fuzzy foliage, forming an ideal low-growing border. Spikes of small pink-purple flowers bloom in early summer, but the foliage is the main attraction of this perennial. Its texture makes it a deer-proof option. Lamb's ears are drought-tolerant, quickly spreading and easy to grow in full sun. They are hardy in zones 4 through 8.

Grasses

• Low-growing ornamental grasses and grass-likes make an effective edge for a garden. There are many from which to choose. For a shady garden, one option is Golden Hakone grass, which forms a dense arching mass of delicate blades resembling bamboo. Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, it grows 1 to 2 feet tall. Lilyturf (Liriope) is a border favorite. Its grassy, sometimes variegated leaves grow in clumps and have spikes of purple or white tiny flowers in late summer. Liriope grows in sun or part-shade, is hardy in zones 4 through 8 and reaches about 8 inches tall.