When to Start: fall or spring
At Its Best: early summer
Time to Complete: 2 hours

Materials Needed:

• sand or string
• well-composted organic matter
• black iris 'Black Knight'
• salvia 'May Night'

• heuchera 'Beauty Color'
• feather grass (Stipa tenuissima)
• fleeceflower 'Red Dragon'
• Angelica archangelica

Mark Out Your Pattern

Choose a sunny site and improve the soil with organic matter before planting, then use sand or string to mark out lines to create the formal, parallel effect. Space out the plants to allow room for them to spread.

Plant Out

Plant the tall fleeceflower at the back, and the heuchera and salvia at the front to form a neat carpet. Use accent plants, such as Angelica, to add interest to the pattern.

Aftercare

Perennials will last far longer than annual plants, but the formal effect will eventually lose its crispness as they grow. You may have to lift and replant every few years to keep the pattern strong. Experiment with rows of different plants until you find a combination that's well suited to your conditions.