Mixed beds and borders are one of the easiest ways to incorporate roses into your garden. Combine different rose varieties with a mix of companion plants in varying tones. Our Rustic Apricot scheme is warm and inviting with its delicate peach and apricot tones but the addition of deep copper elements gives it a robust rustic edge while the addition of the light green and golden grasses provide an uplifting freshness.

MIXED BORDER COLOUR SCHEME

Rustic Apricot

 

Mixed beds and borders are one of the easiest ways to incorporate roses into your garden. Combine different rose varieties with a mix of companion plants in varying tones. Our Rustic Apricot scheme is warm and inviting with its delicate peach and apricot tones but the addition of deep copper elements gives it a robust rustic edge while the addition of the light green and golden grasses provide an uplifting freshness.


MIX IT UP WITH COOL PINKS

Combine light and bright pink roses with blue tones such as lavender and nepeta, silvery grasses and dark foliage.

Create your mix by combining a variety of

plant height, bloom colour and style, foliage colour and style, flowering season
Mixed border with English Roses rustic apricot colour scheme
Mixed border with English Roses rustic apricot colour scheme

Mix it up with

Rustic apricot

Combine varying tones of apricot with copper-toned foliage and golden grasses.



Planting plan: rustic apricot

1. The Lark Ascending English Shrub Rose
2. Cortaderia selloana Pumila
3. Lady of Shalott English Shrub Rose
4. Carex testacea
5. Roald Dahl English Shrub Rose
6. Sedum Purple Emperor 

Plan not to scale, for illustrative purposes only.


Things to consider when planning your Rustic Apricot Mixed Border

Allow space for the mature size of the plants

When planning your mixed border it is important to allow enough space for the mature space of the plant. See our Planting Guide here. Immediately after planting it may look a bit sparse with lots of soil showing but this will be covered as the plants mature. It can be helpful to place the plants out in their pots before planting to map out where they will go and to make sure you have allowed enough space.

Position plants according to their mature height

Placing your pots out before planting will also help to check you have the plants in the right position for their mature height. Taller plants should be placed towards the back, getting gradually smaller towards the front of the bed or border. This will ensure you can see all the plants, and avoid one plant obscuring another. Placing the smaller sedum at the front will also help to cover the lower part of the stems of the roses which can look a bit bare once mature, giving a finished appearance to your border.

Combine a variety of apricot and copper colours

It is important to consider foliage colour as well as bloom colour. The three different apricot rose varieties give a gentle variance of warm blooms which are lifted further by the golden grasses and topped off with the dark copper-toned sedums. The addition of the lighter green grasses at the back compliment the darker green foliage of the roses.

Combine different plant textures together

The thin, airy grasses offset the larger more dense rose shrubs creating a combination of textures. The three rose varieties feature slightly different bloom shapes which add a subtle variety with the compact shape of the sedum at the front adding further interest.


HOW TO UPDATE YOUR BORDER

Firstly select the area you are going to update. We recommend following these guidelines:

  • Choose your mix of roses and companion plants - use the mature plant width when deciding how many plants you need to cover your designated area.
  • Make sure your mix combines a variety of height, size, texture and colour.
  • Lay out the plants while still in their pots on to the designated area. For a bare root rose use a cane to indicate where they will be planted.
  • Check each plant has enough space and taller plants are towards the back. Place smaller plants at the front of the bed. See our Planting Distances Guide here.
  • For smaller plants it can be nice to group two or three together so that they make enough impact when sat next to the larger plants.
  • Plant your roses according to our Bare Root Rose Planting Guide or Potted Rose Planting Guide.

 


you may also like

roses in mixed borders

Planting roses in a mixed border is one of the easiest ways of enjoying roses in your garden. Combine with shrub roses, other shrubs, perennials and annuals to create a tapestry of different colours and textures.

mix it up: cool pinks colour scheme

Update your bed or border with this cool pink colour scheme, combining pink roses, dark foliage and silvery touches..

planting distances

For a successful garden, getting planting distances right is important. Plant shrub roses too closely together and the border becomes overcrowded.

how to plant a bare root shrub rose

By following these simple steps, you will ensure your bare root shrub rose gets off to the best possible start.