How to Landscape Borders Around Houses

Measure the areas where you want to create your border gardens. Your yard will help to guide you in determining their size and shape, but in general, make border beds long and fairly narrow, for example 2 to 3 feet wide.

Lay flattened sheets of cardboard over lawn and weeds if you want to create a border bed where they currently grow. Then pile layers of organic compost and other organic materials such as peat moss and wood ashes several inches deep on top of the cardboard.

Dig organic compost into the soil in areas without lawn or weeds. Combine one part compost for every four parts of soil and mix them together by digging at least 8 inches into the soil and tossing the two like a salad.

Set rocks, bricks or other border materials along the front edges of your border beds if you wish.

Choose a color scheme for each border bed or for all of the beds you are creating. (See Tips.)

Plant taller plants, such as delphiniums and hollyhocks, along the rear edge of border beds. Plant shorter plants such as petunias, marigolds and pansies along the front edge.