Between May and October, Waterperry’s famous herbaceous border fills the eye with its glorious palette of colours covering three distinct periods of flowering.

The ingenious planting and aesthetics applied in Beatrix Havergal’s border recognise principles of border design popularised by Gertrude Jekyll several years earlier. Using only herbaceous perennials, Beatrix cleverly designed the planting to maximise the display of colour and form without the aid of shrubs.

The first display starts in May and June with Lupins, Anchusa, Geraniums, Pyrethrum and Veronica. As these fade they are hidden by Delphinium, Achillea, Verbascum and Phlox which are cultivated to reach a peak of brilliance on 7th July, Miss Havergal’s birthday. With September comes the third flush of colour from Michaelmas daisies, Goldenrod and Heleniums up until the first frosts in late October or early November.