DIY GUIDE · GARDEN & OUTDOOR · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to plant a border yourself
A weekend for a 6 m border. €270–€420 in plants, compost, mulch and tools.
Soil and light, clearing, digging in organic matter, planning, planting, mulching, and invasive plants.
- Every step, start to finish
- Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
- Honest about when to call a pro
FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER
Do it yourself, or get a gardener?
Do it yourself if…
- The border is in your own garden on ground you can dig with a spade and fork
- You can clear the perennial weeds before you plant
- You will water new plants through their first dry spells
- The plants are shrubs, perennials, bulbs and small trees from a garden centre or nursery
Get a pro if…
- The border needs regrading, a retaining edge or drainage before it can be planted
- Large trees or semi-mature specimens need planting with machinery
- The ground is infested with Japanese knotweed or another invasive plant
- You want a planting design drawn up for a large or difficult garden
Safety first
- Bags of compost and manure and pots of shrubs are heavy and awkward. The HSA's manual handling guidance is to avoid lifting from ground level with a twist and to keep loads close; use a barrow and lift with your legs.
- Wear gloves; soil, manure and compost can carry bacteria, and some plants, such as euphorbias, have sap that irritates skin and eyes.
- Keep your tetanus protection up to date; soil and thorns are how it gets in.
- Check where cables and pipes run before you dig deep near the house, a path or a boundary.
- Never plant anything on the regulated invasive species list; it is an offence to plant, spread or cause such plants to grow.
- Kneel on a pad and change jobs often to spare your back and knees.
| MATERIAL | COVERAGE | FOR THIS JOB |
|---|---|---|
| Plants in pots | Shrubs, perennials, grasses and bulbs to suit the site | Spaced as the labels give; often five to seven per square metre for perennials |
| Well-rotted manure or garden compost | To dig into the soil before planting | A barrowload or two per few square metres |
| Multi-purpose compost | To mix into the planting holes | A bag for the planting holes of a small border |
| Chipped bark mulch | Chipped bark spread 2.5–5 cm deep | Area × depth, in litres |
| Slow-release plant food or bonemeal | Mixed into the planting holes | At the rate on the pack |
How many plants and how much mulch
Plants = area ÷ (spacing × spacing). Mulch in litres = area in m² × depth in cm × 10. A border 6 m × 1.5 m is 9 m²: perennials at 40 cm spacing need about 9 ÷ (0.4 × 0.4) ≈ 56 plants, or fewer if shrubs fill some space; mulch at 5 cm is 9 × 5 × 10 = 450 litres, about six 75 L bags.
Use the spacing on each label, which is the plant's spread when mature. Shrubs fill much more space per plant than perennials.
Every plant label gives the light and soil it wants. Match them to your border: full sun, part shade or deep shade; dry or damp; acid or alkaline soil. A plant in the wrong spot sulks for years however much you feed it.
Plant the border in layers. A few shrubs or evergreens give shape all year; perennials and grasses fill the middle and flower through the seasons; low ground cover and bulbs fill the gaps at the front. Tall at the back, low at the front, with a few tall plants brought forward to stop it looking like a staircase.
Plants in groups of three, five or seven look natural and give a border impact. A row of single plants of everything looks bitty. Repeating the same plant along the border ties it together.
Irish gardens are mild, wet and often windy. Shrubs and perennials that cope with wind and wet soil do best, and many tender plants survive in coastal and southern gardens that would die inland. Ask a local nursery what grows well in your area.
Flowers rich in nectar and pollen help bees and other insects, and many native plants and cottage-garden perennials are excellent. Check a plant is not on the regulated invasive list before buying it, especially for wild or damp corners.
THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH
Before you plant — by the ground you have
The ground decides what will thrive and how much work it needs first. Find yours.
A new border cut from the lawn
Turf to be lifted and turned into a bed.
- Mark the shape with a hose or string and cut the edge with a half-moon iron
- Strip the turf and stack it upside down to rot into loam
- Dig over the soil and remove stones and roots
- Dig in compost or well-rotted manure
An old, weedy border
An existing bed full of weeds and tired plants.
- Lift the plants worth keeping and pot them up or heel them in
- Dig out every perennial weed root by hand
- Fork in plenty of organic matter
- Divide and replant the kept perennials as you go
Heavy clay soil
Sticky when wet, cracked when dry.
- Never dig it when wet; it smears and compacts
- Dig in plenty of organic matter and some grit to open it up
- Choose plants that tolerate clay
- Plant in autumn or spring, not in midsummer drought
Dry, sandy or stony soil
Drains fast, dries out quickly.
- Dig in plenty of organic matter to hold moisture
- Choose drought-tolerant plants
- Mulch thickly after planting
- Water new plants regularly until established
A shady border
Under trees, or against a north-facing wall or fence.
- Choose shade-tolerant shrubs, ferns and perennials
- Dig in organic matter; the soil under trees is often dry and poor
- Plant away from the base of the wall, where rain does not reach
- Water well until established
THE JOB
The steps, in order
Read the site
30 minStart with the checks above for your ground. Watch where the sun falls on the border through a day, and note whether it is sunny, part shaded or shaded. Dig a spadeful of soil and squeeze it: sticky and smooth is clay, gritty and falling apart is sandy. A cheap soil test kit tells you whether it is acid or alkaline, which decides whether plants such as rhododendrons and camellias will thrive.
- Note where water lies after rain
- Look at what grows well in neighbouring gardens
- Note the prevailing wind; exposed borders need tough plants
Mistake to avoid: Buying plants first and finding out about the site afterwards.
Clear the ground
2–4 hoursStrip turf or clear weeds from the whole border. Dig out every perennial weed root, docks, dandelions, couch grass and bindweed, by hand. This is the job that decides whether the border stays clear, so be thorough. If the area is badly infested, clear it, leave it a few weeks, and remove whatever regrows before you plant.
- Fork through slowly and follow each white root
- Clear in autumn for planting in spring, if you can
- Never rotavate couch grass; it chops and spreads it
Mistake to avoid: Planting into ground full of perennial weed roots, which then grow up through the new plants.
Dig in organic matter
2–3 hoursSpread a generous layer of well-rotted manure or garden compost over the cleared soil and dig or fork it in to a spade's depth. Organic matter opens heavy clay, helps sandy soil hold water, and feeds the plants for years. Rake the surface level and remove stones.
- Use manure that is well rotted, not fresh
- Dig in autumn and leave the soil to settle over winter
- Avoid walking on the dug soil; use a board
Mistake to avoid: Planting straight into tired, compacted soil and wondering why everything struggles.
Plan the layout on the ground
30–60 minStand the plants, still in their pots, on the border where you think they should go. Put the tallest at the back, or the middle of an island bed, and the lowest at the front. Group perennials in threes, fives or sevens, and repeat key plants along the border. Space them by the spread on their labels, not by how big they are now. Step back and move them around until it looks right.
- Look from the house and from the far end of the garden
- Leave space for plants to grow; a new border always looks sparse
- Mark positions with sand or canes once happy
Mistake to avoid: Planting everything close together for instant effect and having to dig half of it out in two years.
Water the plants before planting
15 minWater every plant thoroughly in its pot an hour before planting, or stand it in a bucket of water until the bubbles stop. A plant that goes into the ground with a dry root ball struggles to take up water for weeks, however much you water the soil around it.
- Water in the evening before for a big planting day
- Keep plants in the shade until they go in
- Plant on a dull, damp day if you can
Mistake to avoid: Planting dry root balls that shed water like a brick.
Dig the planting hole
5–10 minDig each hole about twice the width of the pot and as deep as the pot. Loosen the soil at the bottom and sides of the hole with a fork so roots can spread out. Mix a little multi-purpose compost and a slow-release feed or bonemeal into the soil you dug out. For shrubs on heavy clay, rough up the sides of the hole so it does not become a sump.
- Wider is more important than deeper
- Keep the dug soil on a sheet so it does not end up on the lawn
- For bulbs, plant at about two or three times their own depth, as the pack gives
Mistake to avoid: Digging a deep, narrow hole in clay that fills with water and drowns the plant.
Plant at the right depth
5 minTip the plant out of its pot by turning it upside down and tapping the rim. Tease out roots that are circling the root ball. Set the plant in the hole so the top of its root ball is level with the surrounding soil, not buried deeper, unless the label says otherwise, as for clematis. Fill in around it with the mixed soil, firming gently with your hands or heel as you go, so there are no air pockets.
- Lay a cane across the hole to check the level
- Firm shrubs with your heel, perennials with your hands
- Face the best side of the plant to the front
Mistake to avoid: Burying the stem of a shrub deeper than it grew in the pot and rotting it.
Water in and mulch
30–60 minWater each plant thoroughly straight after planting, a full can for a shrub, so the soil settles round the roots. Then spread a mulch of bark or compost over the whole border, a few centimetres deep, keeping it a hand's width clear of stems. The mulch holds moisture in, keeps weeds down and finishes the border off.
- Water in even if rain is forecast
- Mulch damp soil, not dry
- Top up the mulch each spring
Mistake to avoid: Mulching right up against stems and causing them to rot.
Add bulbs and seasonal fillers
30–60 minIn autumn, plant spring bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, alliums and crocuses in groups between the perennials and towards the front, at the depth on the pack, pointed end up. They flower before the perennials leaf up and fill the border's quiet months. In the first spring and summer, fill any bare gaps between young plants with annuals or bedding, which you can pull out as the permanent plants spread. Mark where the bulbs are with a few short canes so you do not dig into them later.
- Plant bulbs in natural drifts, not in rows
- Plant tulips later in autumn than daffodils
- Feed bulbs after flowering and let the leaves die back naturally
Mistake to avoid: Planting bulbs in single lines along the front edge, where they look like soldiers on parade.
Look after it through the first year
15 minWater new plants in every dry spell through their first year, a thorough soak once or twice a week rather than a sprinkle every day, so roots go down. Hoe or hand-pull weeds weekly. Deadhead perennials to keep them flowering. Note what thrives and what struggles, and move or replace plants in autumn.
- Use rainwater from a water butt where you can
- Stake tall perennials in spring before they flop
- Feed with a general fertiliser in spring from the second year
Mistake to avoid: Planting a border in May and leaving it to fend for itself through a dry June.
The mistakes that show
- Planting without clearing perennial weed roots first
- Choosing plants for the label photo, not for the light and soil
- Planting too close together, then having to dig plants out
- Burying stems too deep, or mulching up against them
Stop here and get a garden designer
- The border needs regrading, retaining or drainage before planting
- Large trees or semi-mature plants need machinery to move and plant
- The ground has Japanese knotweed or another invasive plant
- You want a planting plan for a large or difficult site
| WHAT YOU SEE | WHY, AND THE FIX |
|---|---|
| New plants wilting despite watering | The root ball was dry at planting, or water is running off. Soak the root ball slowly with a can, and water deeply rather than often. |
| Leaves yellowing on new shrubs | Waterlogged soil, or a plant needing acid soil in alkaline ground. Check drainage, and test the soil pH. |
| Weeds coming up everywhere | Perennial roots left in, or no mulch. Dig out the roots and mulch the border. |
| Plants leaning towards the light | Too much shade from a fence, hedge or tree. Move them in autumn, or replace with shade-tolerant plants. |
| Border looks sparse and gappy | Normal in the first year. Fill gaps with annuals or bulbs while the perennials and shrubs grow. |
| Plants chewed overnight | Slugs and snails, especially on young perennials. Check at dusk with a torch and protect young plants. |
| Tall plants flopping over | No support, or too much shade or feed. Stake them early in spring next year, and avoid rich feeds. |
| A plant spreading everywhere | An invasive or over-vigorous plant. Dig it out with its roots; if it is on the invasive list, get advice before you move it. |
| Bulbs came up blind, with leaves but no flowers | Planted too shallow, too crowded, or the leaves were cut off too soon last year. Lift and replant them deeper and further apart in autumn, and let the leaves die back for six weeks after flowering next time. |
WHAT YOU SAVE
What it costs to do it yourself
| Perennials and small shrubs in pots, about 30 | €150–€300 |
|---|---|
| Farmyard manure, 4 bags of 50 L | €27.96 |
| Multi-purpose compost, 60 L | €9.99 |
| Chipped bark, 6 bags of 75 L | €59.94 |
| Bonemeal or slow-release plant food | €12.99–€19.99 |
| Hand trowel | €8.99 |
| Total, first time | €270–€427 |
| DIY total | €270–€420 |
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
Plants are the big cost, and small plants are far cheaper and catch up quickly. Dividing perennials from friends' gardens, and your own compost, cut the cost of every border after the first.
RATHER NOT?
Border planting specialists near you, with prices shown
The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
New plants need watering in dry spells for their whole first year; established borders rarely need it.
Clean, rigid plastic plant pots and trays go in the household recycling bin, as mywaste.ie advises, or back to the garden centre or a gardening group for reuse.
Stack stripped turf upside down to rot into loam. Annual weeds and soft plant waste go on the compost or in the brown bin; perennial roots go in the brown bin, not the home heap.
Spread fresh mulch each spring over damp, weeded soil, and divide crowded perennials every few years.
Planting a border: questions people ask
Autumn and spring, when the soil is warm and moist. Container-grown plants can go in at any time the ground is not frozen or waterlogged, but need more watering in summer.
As far apart as the spread on the label. For many perennials that means around five to seven plants per square metre; shrubs need much more space.
With the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil, not deeper, in a hole about twice as wide as the pot.
Almost always. Dig in plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost; it helps clay drain, sandy soil hold water, and feeds the plants.
Yes. Plants listed in the Third Schedule of the Birds and Natural Habitats Regulations 2011, such as Japanese knotweed, must not be planted or spread. Check the list before you buy for a wild or damp corner.
The Locufy Irish price guide puts planting and borders at €150–€1,000 per job, typically €400. The size of the border and the plants chosen make most of the difference.
MORE GUIDES
More DIY guides
Sources — checked October 2026
- Westland — Erin traditional multi-purpose compost: how to use, potting and planting
- Westland — the benefits of mulching
- Westland — bed and border bark: mulching depth
- HSA — manual handling of loads, guide to the General Application Regulations
- European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 — regulation 49 and the Third Schedule
- mywaste.ie — plastic plant pots
- mywaste.ie — garden waste
- Woodie's — price check: outdoor plants
- Woodie's — price check: compost, manure and bark
- Woodie's — price check: plant food and bonemeal
- Woodie's — price check: trowels