Everything about Herbaceous Border totally explained
A
herbaceous border is a collection of
perennial herbaceous plants (plants that live for more than two years and are soft-stemmed and non-woody) 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're 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 overgrowth of the plants. 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.
