staking tall plants at the front of a border

I've popped this question here although it may not be the most appropriate place - apologies.
The plant in question here is Achillea and as its almost 1 metre tall its falling all over the place. Its in the wrong place but I do not wish to cut it back now as the flowers are incredibly attractive! In which case, please may I ask for suggestions as to the most... whats the word... 'unobtrusive' (being at the very front of the border, along the driveway to the house) way to stake the stems, firstly to keep the plants in order, and secondly to show the blooms off to their best.
Many thanks in advance for any thoughts and suggestions!
Kind regards
Roy

 

For staking in a prominant position I try to use natural hardwood stakes and hessian ties. You might have to use softwood and tone it down with fence paint. Natural string can also be dyed with paint. Nothing worse than a shiney new cane and gaudy polyprop string at the front of a border :D

 

Hi Royster. I have been using canes, painted with green fence paint. And tied things in with the green twine you can buy in garden centres. They result is very unobtrusive.

 

Gentlemen, many thanks for your replies! I shall indeed put your ideas into action, perhaps interchanging between the twine and hessian depending upon the situation and plant.
Kind regards
Roy

 

I know your probelem royster, I planted godetia at the front of my border and my pansies and marigolds at the back! Lesson learned for next year. I saw a thing in the Kleeneze cataloge which consists of stakes incorporated in circles (that's not a very good description) the idea being that you put it over the plant and it grows up inside it, it's made of green plastic, so not so noticable. Hope this helps, I'm going to get some for my lillies/hollyhocks next year.

 

Hi Dixy, thanks for your reply!
I am familiar with Kleeneze and respect very much their products. Your thoughts about the stakes with circles etc sounds, well, sound!
Good luck with the lillies and hollyhocks (beautiful perennials if ever there were!).

May I enquire, where in N. Ireland are you situated? I have a very, very fine friend who works at Greenmount Agricultural/Horticultural college in Antrim. And yes, I have visited Giants Causeway many a time - incredible and beautiful, to say the very least!! (visited Bushmills too, needless to say as I am a Scotsman).

Kind regards
Roy

 

Have a look at the stuff on this site, Royster, et al - there's quite a variety of ways of doing it... :rolleyes:

http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/category/Plant+Supports/

 

Hi Dendrobium, your knowledge of excellent websites amazes me! Many thanks for this - very useful stuff!
Kind regards
Roy

 

hi Royster, I'm in Co.Down, a wee bit away from Antrim. I we took my mother to Bushmills and she enjoyed the wee half at the end! We're scots too! I'm from Argyll, where are you from?