Most private garden owners want to have a flower bed worthy of the name. Yet after a number of unsuccessful attempts, and possibly after witnessing poor results attained by friends and neighbors, they give up on the idea, and either they let the lawn take over, or at worst, the spot turns into an eyesore. It becomes a constant, frustrating reminder of failure and valuable time and good money wasted. I think the root of the problem can be traced to planting too many plants that after flowering briefly, either need to be removed and replaced, or simply look poor for long periods of time.

My suggestion is to take up at least 30% of the bed's area with non-flowering herbaceous plants, and with flowering species that look good after the flowers have died and been removed. This means that when annuals have to be replaced, or perennials cut down, the border still looks reasonably presentable, until the next burst of flowers appear. Shrubs and bushes should not be planted in the small flower bed. They simply take over and make maintenance problematical.

The mixed border, as the British term it, that is the planting of woody, shrub material together with the herbaceous plants, may be suitable for large beds, but not for small ones. Here are some excellent non-flowering plants which I use to good effect in central Israel, where I live and work. The climate is typically Mediterranean, so while the species I mention may or may not be appropriate to your situation, I hope they serve as an example of what can be done in a dry climate garden.

Joyweed (Alternanthera) Includes lush green varieties and deep purple ones. Some have delicate leaves, others larger ones. Joyweed is suitable for frost free areas only, and is best planted in the spring until the end of the summer.

Different cultivars of Asparagus densiflorus are also lush green in color, with interesting form and leaf texture. They can sometimes be mixed with dwarf shrubs as well.

Ornamental grasses or grass like plants are usually a good choice for "holding" the border throughout the year. Large grasses like the fabulous Pennisetum setaceum "Rubra" may be too large for a small bed, and they need to be cut down periodically anyway. Instead, consider small, delicate plants like Festuca glauca or the various types of Liriope and Ophiopogon. Beware though when choosing grasses of any size, that they are not of the kind that are liable to spread and become a weed in the border and the garden as a whole. Silver leaved herbaceous plants are also extremely useful and manageable in the bed. There are low plants like Lavender cotton, (Santolina chamaecyparissus) and Dichondra argentea and the taller ones like Dusty Miller. (Senecio cineraria)

Furthermore, one can choose from a number of herbaceous flowering perennials that look good throughout the year. This does not mean that they are maintenance free, but some clipping and pruning notwithstanding, they are definitely manageable and contribute handsomely to the quality of the small garden bed. In this category one can include, the mainstay Agapanthus, the shrubby species of Chrysanthemum like C. frutescens or C.pacificum, perennial carnations like Dianthus sp. "Fire Witch" and of course many species and varieties of sage.