4 Stunning Plants That Will Instantly Elevate Your Summer Garden Border
By Darrell Smith – DH Garden Centre & DH Landscape Solutions, Vancouver, BC
There’s something magical about a well-designed garden border.
It’s more than just a lineup of plants—it’s a carefully composed symphony of colour, texture, and seasonal rhythm. And when done right, it doesn’t just turn heads—it transforms your entire landscape.
This summer, we’re highlighting one of my favourite plant combinations for Canadian gardens, especially those in Vancouver’s mild coastal climate. Whether you’re designing a feature bed along the driveway, building out your front yard for curb appeal, or creating a dynamic edge to a backyard patio, this four-plant mix delivers reliable structure, season-long interest, and pollinator-friendly beauty.
Let’s explore why this combination works so well and how you can recreate it in your own garden.
1. Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’)
Architectural, graceful, and full of motion
Purple Fountain Grass provides both vertical height and textural drama. Its arching burgundy foliage and bottlebrush plumes dance in the breeze, adding a sense of movement and softness to any planting. It’s an annual in our coastal climate, but well worth the seasonal performance.
- Height: 3–4 feet tall and wide
- Prefers full sun and well-draining soil
- Drought tolerant once established
- Works beautifully as a centerpiece in containers or borders
Darrell’s Tip: Use it as a focal point in the centre or rear of your bed. The colour contrast alone makes this grass a show-stopper.
2. Pink & Purple Petunias
Low-growing, long-blooming, and vibrant
Petunias bring the summer fireworks. Their mounding, spreading habit makes them perfect for the front of borders or spilling over the edges of raised beds and containers. Choose trailing or wave varieties in vibrant pinks and purples to echo and enhance the tones of the fountain grass.
- Full sun = maximum blooms
- Requires deadheading or self-cleaning varieties
- Excellent for seasonal bedding, baskets, or edging
Darrell’s Tip: Interplant petunias with your fountain grass to soften the base and create a lush, flowering carpet effect.
3. May Night Salvia (Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’)
A vertical pollinator magnet
If you want to attract pollinators to your garden, May Night Salvia should be at the top of your list. This hardy perennial produces rich violet-blue flower spikes that bloom in early summer and, with proper deadheading, again in late summer to fall.
- Height: 18–24 inches tall
- Deer and drought resistant
- Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- Thrives in full sun and well-drained soil
Darrell’s Tip: Plant in groups of three or five for best visual impact. Their upright form adds structure and rhythm to any border.
4. Firelight Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Firelight’)
A four-season focal point
Rounding out this plant palette is the dependable and dramatic Firelight Hydrangea. With large, cone-shaped blooms that start creamy white and deepen into rose pink and red as the season progresses, it provides unmatched colour transition through the summer and fall.
- Grows 4–6 feet tall and wide
- Full sun to part shade
- Hardy from Zone 3–8
- Excellent for back-of-border structure or stand-alone accent
Darrell’s Tip: Use Firelight as the backdrop or anchor plant in your design. Its shifting colours offer natural contrast to salvia and petunias throughout the growing season.
Why This Combination Works
This four-plant design is all about contrast, cohesion, and seasonal balance. Here’s what each brings to the table:
Element |
Plant |
|---|---|
| Height & Movement | Purple Fountain Grass |
| Colourful Ground Cover | Pink & Purple Petunias |
| Vertical Interest & Pollinators | May Night Salvia |
| Structural Anchor & Colour Shift | Firelight Hydrangea Shrub |
Together, they create a layered, textured border that feels full and intentional. With the added bonus of supporting pollinators and providing long-lasting interest, this combination proves that great garden design doesn’t need to be complicated.
Design & Care Tips
- Watering: While all four plants are moderately drought tolerant once established, regular watering during peak summer ensures best performance, especially for petunias.
- Fertilizing: Apply an all-purpose, slow-release fertilizer in spring, and a liquid feed every 4 weeks for annuals like petunias.
- Mulching: Add a layer of bark mulch or compost to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and give the bed a polished finish.
- Spacing: Give each plant room to breathe—about 12″ between petunias, 18″ for salvia, and up to 4′ for Firelight Hydrangea.
Ready to Build Your Own Summer Border?
Come visit us at DH Garden Centre (3742 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver) or browse our curated selection online at dhgardencentre.com. We carry all four plants featured in this design, plus premium organic compost, slow-release fertilizers, and everything you need to bring your border to life.
Need help planning your layout? Ask about our simple garden bed design consultations through DH Landscape Solutions.
Let’s grow something beautiful together.
