Contractor:

Faodail Landscapes  – Visit website here

About the border

The border is inspired by a newer Beltane tradition of the Green Man and May Queen meeting to light the fire. It was an ancient tradition to light all fires in the home from the Beltane fire to bring luck for the coming year.

The Green Man is represented by one side and has a more woodland feel, whilst the May Queen is represented by the other which has a more open and overtly floral nature.

The two parts are joined by a low angular stone wall from which a charred timber seat is cantilevered and plants are colonising. The dark angular stone and charred timber both from fire, highlight the softness of the planting.

A mossy route runs through the centre of the border, connecting the two parts. The proposed planting scheme is to include a combination of native plants associated with Beltane, combined with non-native perennials in warm colours to create drama but also softness. The Green Man area is represented by birch, rowan and woodland underplanting, with the May Queen represented by hawthorn, complemented by a palette of native perennials, combined with warm colour ornamental perennials.

Unifying this, is a palette of green foliage that serves as the base for the whole border and creates a coherent look. Use of yellow in general at Beltane was seen as bringing good luck.

Planting 

The Green Man area is represented through silver birch, rowan, and woodland underplanting, evoking regeneration, growth, and connection to the natural world. The May Queen is symbolised by hawthorn, traditionally associated with fertility and protection, and central to Beltane folklore.

These symbolic trees are complemented by a mixed palette of native and ornamental perennials, layered over a base planting of ferns and grasses that runs throughout the border. This consistent underlayer creates a cohesive visual language while allowing the more expressive planting above to change with season and light.

The trees within the border play a key role in shaping the microclimate. Silver birch and rowan are grouped together within the Green Man zone, while hawthorn defines the May Queen section. Together, they create areas of partial shade, establishing the environmental conditions required for the layered woodland‑inspired planting beneath.

Planting palette includes: 

Trees

Betula pendula

Crataegus monogyna

Sorbus aucuparia

Shrubs

Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’

Hydrangea petiolaris

Pinus mugo

Ferns

Dryopteris erythrosora

Asplenium scolopendrium

Blechnum spicant  

Dryopteris affinis

Dryopteris filix mas

Flowering perennials

Alchemilla mollis

Anthriscus sylvestris

Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ‘Ruby Port’

Astrantia ‘Burgundy manor’

Caltha palustris  

Convallaria majalis

Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’

Galium odoratum

Geum ‘ Firestarter’

Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’

Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Valentine’

Lupinus ‘Red Rum’  

Lychnis flos-cuculi

Primula denticulata var alba

Primula veris

Ranunculus repens

Silene dioica

Pimpinella major ‘Rosea’

Grasses

Anemanthele lessoniana

Melica uniflora f. Albida

Stipa tenuissima

Sesleria autumnalis

Imperata ‘Red Baron’