borders

The 50 men and women selected from more than 300 volunteers depart Indiana for the Texas border town of El Paso after Easter weekend.

Christopher Lloyd enlarged the border at Great Dixter to encompass a length of 200 feet and a depth of 15 feet. At the back were small trees, with flowering shrubs in the middle and low edging plants in front.

One of Britain's most celebrated gardens, Great Dixter is a magnificent place where one can learn and be inspired. A trip there should be on every gardener's bucket list.

A mixed border is usually a defined space with a mix of perennials, annuals, shrubs, bulbs, and/or grasses with a walk, or path, in front and a wall or a fence behind as a backdrop. A mix of plants of different varieties ensures an extended period of interest.

When I began gardening, my aim was to have as many flowers as possible, but the longer I garden the more I appreciate the impact of colorful foliage.