Replanting a flower bed – Rip it up and start again relaying flower bed, replanting flower border, dividing perennials, splitting plants

One of the first beds I planted about 6 years ago has looked tired throughout the year. Some of the plants did not really get going, while others seemed swamped. Large daffodils were still going in July, their unruly leaves spilling and spoiling. It just was not working, so it’s time to consider replanting a flower bed.

What I need to do is dig it all up, remove the weeds that were sneaking in, and replant with a fresh layout. Some bargains from the garden centre will help to diversify and extend the season as well.

Earlier this year I removed a large Stipa Gigantea from this bed, splitting it into five. This left a gap that I filled with Lupins and Achillea, mainly because I had lots of them. Some of them have established, but the dry summer took its toll.I will increase the number of Rudbeckia here, making the drift larger.

When replanting a flower bed the first job is to decide what stays and what goes.  Any surplus – in this case most significantly Crocosmia George Davison – are split and potted up. These are useful for passing on to friends or clients in need of a border filler.

Dig it all out, start again

I split and replanted some Iris siberica, Iris germanica and hemerocalis. Stipa tenuissima have been brushed out and replanted closer to the back.

Daffodils are replanted further back, so wilting foliage will be hidden amongst new growth.

There were also a few large Verbascum – mulleins – that grow over six feet tall with towers of yellow flower. The large leaves smother anything growing close by, so I have trimmed back the foliage and hope they can make do.

The space created allowed for some additional Heleniums to go in, something I have been building stocks of slowly, but not fast enough. The garden centre had some reduced from £9 to £3 in the sale, along with some Helianthus and Kniphofia,

I had put off this job, in part due to being busy, but also because such projects can be quite daunting. But it actually only took three hours. Achievable in a morning or afternoon with time to spare!

Local gardener Bourne End, garden design Bourne End, planting plan Bourne End