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Mixed Perennial Border
Along the east side of Lily Pool Terrace is a diverse collection of more than a hundred kinds of herbaceous plants and summer-flowering shrubs.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden's mixed perennial border exemplifies an "American style" that is just as exuberant and exciting as any found in England. Original designer Conni Cross combined trees and shrubs with a diverse palette of herbaceous perennials and bulbs suited to our climate.
The border stretches approximately 300 feet along the facades of the education greenhouses, Palm House, and Garden Gift Shop—the entire length of Lily Pool Terrace. A hedge of upright, columnar yews (Taxus baccata 'Hibernica') forms a dark evergreen backdrop.
On closer inspection, the border is divided into 12 small plots. Bricks laid in sand in a herringbone pattern form walkways that permit viewing each bed from all sides.
The 12 small mini-borders average 25 to 30 feet long by 15 feet deep. The topsoil (a sandy loam) is amended with leaf mold and other composted organic matter from the Garden's own composting program to create a well-drained but fertile growing medium for perennials.
Map of the Garden
The Plant Family Collection is indicated by the orange box. Click on the map to visit other locations in the Garden, or click here to view a larger map.
