Does this sound like a good idea for a flower border?

Question

I'm really in the gardening mood for next year, and I'm planning everything now, so everything will look great. I have a fence by some cedars that is about 60 metres long, and behind it is a nice view of an old barn. This is what I'm going to plant as a border, I'm am going to plant 4 perannuals, Pink Fireweed ( http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/wilderness/wildflowers/fireweed.htm ) White Soapwort, ( http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/soawor61.html ) Blue and Purple Lupins ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mainelupin.jpg ) and Orange Lilies ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:HemerocallisFulva1UME.jpg ) They are all wild in my area except for lupins. Does this sound good? Do you think it would look nice? I calculated it out and i need about 65 fireweed, 70 lillies, 40 soapwort and about 40 lupins.

Answer 1

I think you have a great idea, especially using the borrowed vista, and I hope this is the beginning of many years of gardening with wildflowers.
I would suggest one more I like that is easy to control the spread, Solidago canadensis, Goldenrod. Also will you be including spring bulbs and columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) for early season color and native asters for late season to go with the soapwort, or are you focusing on summer blooms?
For fragrance I love the scent of Hesperis matronalis, Dame's Rocket drifting in the evening.

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=D200
http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/us/en/product/9044/1
http://www.missouriplants.com/Bluealt/Hesperis_matronalis_page.html
http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/solidagocana.html
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/bio406d/images/pics/ast/solidago_canadensis.htm
http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/herbs/aquilegiacan.html
I like fireweed a lot but expect a lot of spread from it and the hemerocallis. But the fireweed spreads both by seed and rhizomes underground so I trim the flowers before they set seed to keep it in my yard.
Also the soapwort doesn't tolerate acid soil, it needs a pH 7-8 so you may need to lime if you do not have neutral soil.

Answer 2

Wow, you've got spirit. Go for it, it sounds wonderful. It will be a beautiful view. I'll bet after you are done there you'll be moving on to another spot. Gardening is very addicting.

Answer 3

Sounds lovely. Enjoy.