From paddock to showpiece: the story of my perennial borders

Every gardener has that one project that defines their space….the part of the garden that feels like the showpiece. For me, it has always been the perennial borders. When we first bought our property, I knew from the very beginning that there would be a big garden here one day. A simple lawn was never going to satisfy me… it was just a temporary measure while I gathered my thoughts, scribbled plans, and let the vision form.

This is the story of how an open paddock turned into sweeping borders that now frame our home. It’s not a tale of overnight transformation, but rather of patience, stubborn ideas, a bit of professional input (half of which I ignored), and years of persistence. I want to share each stage with you, not as a glossy before-and-after, but as the real step-by-step process of turning a bare space into something layered, beautiful, and full of personality.

Stage one: a bare beginning

When we first moved in, the land around the house was nothing more than a wide, empty paddock. I mowed it into a lawn for a few years just to keep things tidy, but I always knew this wouldn’t last. I’ve always wanted a big garden, so the lawn was really just a placeholder - a way to keep things under control while my ideas slowly formed.

If you’d like to learn about my perennial border creation from bare paddock to beautiful result, then consider joining my members-only, Behind the Garden Gate, page. I’ve included lots of information that I simply can’t fit in an Instagram caption. If you’re at the beginning of your garden creation journey, and need some inspiration and motivation to keep going, this ‘before’ and ‘after’ story will help you realise that all the effort is worth it. You can join by clicking the button below.