A herbaceous border is a feature of many large gardens. The burgeoning foliage and flower colour can reach up to 2.5m or more. However, there is much work getting it to maturity with staking and tying being the main work required. This is necessary to fend off the worst effects of summer rain and strong wind.

Nonetheless, the results are spectacular. A downside of such planting is that it can be a blank space over the winter period after foliage has died down.

Smaller gardens can produce spectacular displays of herbaceous perennials too, while also providing the opportunity to plant bulbs for winter and spring display. It is easier to achieve this having access to the soil amongst the low planting. This will produce a garden filled with all year-round colour.

Allium angulosum, commonly known as Mouse Garlic, is a small clump forming plant flowering early in the year. The clump is scarcely higher than 10cm with the round pink bobble-like flowers heads. It is beloved by bees that feed on it. In the same family group is Tulbaghia violaceae, with grey-green grass-like foliage with starry pale lilac flowers over a long period from mid-summer into autumn. It grows to an overall height of 60cm.

All low perennial planting should include Alchemilla mollis with its quality foliage and lime green flowers. The leaves have the wonderful quality of holding rain drops in perfect round bauble-like droplets. Of all the herbaceous geraniums Geranium renardii is, for me, the most striking in all aspects of its growth habit. It is a clump forming plant to 30cm with grey-green, slightly wrinkled leaves. The flowers are white, tinted with palest blue, streaked with violet, it brings a coolness to the border.

Erigeron ‘Schneewittchen’ which translates to ‘Snow White’ as in the fairy tale character, is a loose growing plant to 30cm high producing a continuous display of daisy flowers from early summer into late autumn. Plant it alongside Bergenia ‘Bressingham Salmon’ which is a good description of its flower colour for a magical picture.

Astrantia ‘Roma’ is beautiful in every way, from its foliage which is rich green and dissected through to its flowers, which resemble small pincushions of a wine-rose colour in early summer. It grows to 50cm and if you cut back the foliage after its early flowering period you get a second flush later in the season. Equally beautiful for foliage effect is Epimedium stellulatum ‘Wudang Star’ , which forms a clump to 30cm high. The toothed leaves are glossy and flushed with a chocolate colour in spring turning dark red in winter. The flower stems are dark too, contrasting well with an abundance of tiny white flowers.

Perennial potentilla

While plenty of people are familiar with the shrubby potentilla, there are perennial types too.

Potentilla nepalensis ‘Miss Wilmott’ is clump forming plant growing to 35cm in height. In itself, the foliage is attractive comprising of five wide leaflets. The flowers are dark pink, produced over a long period in summer. Equally attractive is Potentilla thurberi ‘Monarch’s Velvet’ which is of similar size and foliage type though forming a slightly taller clump. The flowers are slightly larger, deep raspberry pink in colour with darker centres and again over a long period in summer.

Verbena rigida with its intense purple flowers grows to 40cm and spreads happily. The foliage has a rough texture but attractively toothed. Verbena ‘La France’ has a similar growth pattern, however, the flowers are lavender blue and held in profusion throughout the summer. This is such an attractive plant that it garners the most questions from garden visitors.

Sedum ‘Matrona’ commonly known as Stonecrop is a fleshy succulent plant. Its grey green leaves tinged with purple are a beautiful foil for the pale pink starry shaped flowers.

Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is similar in growth style. However, the foliage is fresh green over the summer period with pale pink flowers appearing in autumn for an extended period. Both of these plants grow to 60cm and retain their russet brown flower spikes long after the foliage has died down for winter. This allows the seed heads to exist through winter which is an added attraction. As with the larger herbaceous borders, you will need to cut back and tidy at the end of the season.

To create your all year-round garden, select smaller growing daffodils, tulips, crocus, muscari, snowdrops and dwarf iris. Plant in August or September following guidelines supplied with packs from your garden centre. You will create a beautiful spring and summer garden that will continue for years to come.

Lawns: Raise your lawn mower cutting height and give grass a chance to survive dry weather.

Herbaceous planting: Continue to dead-head and monitor staking, as plants grow they will need continued support.

House plants: In warm weather, it is a good time to place house plants outdoors, however keep them in shade to avoid sun-scorch and monitor watering.

Propagation: Now is a good time to take cuttings of tender perennials and shrubs.

Fruit and vegetables: Pot up strawberry runners, you can do this while the young plantlets are still connected to the mother plant. Pin them down in the pot with light wire, severing them when rooting has taken place.

The leaves on my birch trees are shedding almost like it is autumn. How can I stop this? I’m worried that I will lose them. – Timmy, Co Waterford.

It is most likely that this is a result of dry weather and a lack of moisture available to the trees. Like all plants, trees suffer in dry weather. However, they are well adept at surviving and they are dropping foliage to stop excessive transpiration.

This is not something to overly worry about. Take the opportunity to gather all leaves and compost them. Mulch around trees as much as possible in winter. If they are in your lawn area allow long grass to grow underneath, this will prevent sunshine drying the root area.