Julie Witmer Gardens Newsletter

Julie Witmer Gardens Newsletter

Building a Border Backwards: Part 2

How To: Garden Design that Thinks in Reverse Seasonal Order

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Julie Witmer
Aug 20, 2025
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Building a Border Backwards class by Julie Witmer

Benefits of Reverse Seasonal Order

Learn how to create a perennial mixed border that will give you year-round beauty while also creating a positive ecological impact every month of the year. The “border backwards” technique will explain the benefits of thinking in reverse seasonal order to include a variety of plants into a low-maintenance, long lasting border display.

Woodland Garden path from Havenwood as example of dry, shady backwards border

In Part 1, we talked about how new gardeners usually go about making a garden, and what is a “backwards border.”

In Part 2, we will talk about:

  • planning a year-round border in any growing condition

  • planning a year-round border in any style

  • how to install a backwards border

  • which plants to purchase first

  • four important steps to a backwards border

Julie Witmer in her online gardening class, Building a Border Backwards
Julie Witmer in her online gardening class, Building a Border Backwards

JWG online Gardening Classes:

This class is just one of several advanced gardening classes here on Substack, all of which can be accessed for just $6. There are several hours of video lessons plus handouts. I want these classes to be available to anyone who wants to create amazing layer-packed gardens.

Gardening Classes

Gardening Classes

Julie Witmer
·
March 9, 2024
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If you are ready to get deeper into gardening, I hope these more advanced classes will inspire you to get planting this autumn!

Advanced Gardening Classes:

Guiding Principles for Sustainable Gardening

Guiding Principles for Sustainable Gardening

Julie Witmer
·
July 9, 2024
Read full story
Video Class: Where is Your Garden?

Video Class: Where is Your Garden?

Julie Witmer
·
June 4, 2024
Read full story
Video Class: Gardening with Redemptive Imagination

Video Class: Gardening with Redemptive Imagination

Julie Witmer
·
September 29, 2023
Read full story
Gardens as Sacred Spaces: Part 1

Gardens as Sacred Spaces: Part 1

Julie Witmer
·
March 8, 2024
Read full story
Building a Border Backwards : Part 1

Building a Border Backwards : Part 1

Julie Witmer
·
Aug 6
Read full story
Swamp Milkweek, Asclepias incarnata, in the backwards border plan for a damp, sunny area

Other series and author interviews:

C.S. Lewis' Garden at the Kilns

C.S. Lewis' Garden at the Kilns

Julie Witmer
·
February 13, 2024
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A Short History of Flowers: Author Interview with Advolly Richmond

A Short History of Flowers: Author Interview with Advolly Richmond

Julie Witmer
·
Apr 22
Read full story
Author interview: Ben Dark

Author interview: Ben Dark

Julie Witmer
·
May 9, 2024
Read full story
Havenwood Cottage Garden, which is featured in the Building a Border Backwards class
Havenwood Cottage Garden, which is featured in the Building a Border Backwards class

©All content, photos, designs, handouts, plans, and lessons by Julie Witmer 2025

Join me for part 2 of Building a Border Backwards…

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