Want to take your garden beds from basic to beautiful? These border flowers add color, texture, and definition.

Self-seeding flowers are the ultimate low-maintenance plants for a garden that looks colorful but requires minimal effort.

Mid-height varieties suitable for a damp, lightly shaded flower border include the long-flowering powder-pink Astilbe ‘Venus’ and the white-flowering A. ‘Weisse Gloria’ and A. ‘Gladstone’.

Arne Maynard shares his design for a softly coloured border that flowers in late May before giving way to lush foliage – and ...