Question
In my front yard, I am trying to create a small border between my neighbors lawn and mine.  Preferably I'd like to keep it under 2 ft in height.  I love plants with color.  I live in the Portland Oregon area.  Any suggestions would be great.  Thanks

Answer
Mike,
 All of these will flower most of the summer.
Roses would be really good and they are not the trouble that everyone says they are.
Zinneas are great all summer-they are annuals but some will reseed themselves year after year.
Another low one that grows in a 1-1.5?mound is the perennial geranium.

For the fall, get some "low" growing fall short asters or chrysanthamums-these both come is many, many colors!

For the spring--definitely lots of bulbs!! Columbine come in many colors and are also a spring flower.

If you need to search for these for pictures or more plants go to these 2 sites:

http://www.crescentbloom.com/I/default.htm

http://springhillnursery.com/default.asp

Also you need to prepare the soil correctly-this to me is 80% of your success! Here is my Super Soil Recipe:
Super Soil Mixture:

  In the established garden areas, I  use a shovel or pitchfork to turn the  areas around the plants  each year and work in some of the mix.  Work it into the soil around all your established plants.
 
For new garden beds:
 For every 10?x 10?of NEW area add: (you can cut the portions as needed)

4 bags of good topsoil
4 bags of horse/cow/chicken manure-elephant is the VERY BEST!!
Any amount of your own compost
2 bags sand-play sand is OK(depending on your soil type)
1 bag Millorganite -organic fertilizer, nurseries-not avail. in all states
2 bags cedar mulch
2 bags pellet gypsum (for aeration)-if your soil has lots of clay
1 bag powdered/granulated sulphur

Rototill this mixture into the ground to about 1 foot in depth or more if you can.

This mixture is the best I have formulated and I have GREAT success with it.  I always have a bunch of it premixed so when I transplant I can have that area primed!  This stuff is like butter if you till it enough and put in the right stuff!

MILLORGANITE can be purchased at  nurseries, about $10 a bag.  It is organic and will not harm pets or you!  You can put it on the lawn in the spring and again in the fall with a spreader ( I put it on quite heavily) and all your flowers and vegetables.  It is not available in all states.

揚REEN?is also a GREAT product to put on your garden areas to prevent weed growth.  You first have to get all the weeds out first.  Then put on the PREEN-with or without fertilizer-right at the first of spring and again in the middle of summer. You can't plant seeds after using PREEN so wait till you have a sprouting plant to use it. I抳e NEVER had weeds in my flower areas since starting this product.  If you want to go organic and natural, use corn gluten at the same times.


Sijka