The spring border is designed to look at its best early in the year. The undulating design of the beds helps to break up the hard lines of the hedge and also draws visitors around the space. The planting is varied, containing a mixture of early-flowering perennials together with plants that have striking evergreen foliage or look good as their shoots emerge from the soil. This ensures that the area still looks interesting once the spring bulbs and flowers fade. Alan has also included a selection of summer-flowering plants, such as paeonia, astrantia and geranium that will come into flower and keep the area looking bright and cheerful for the rest of the year.