Buffalo-Style Gardens. Sally Cunningham

in relation to what is around the plants or their containers.

      Around a fence or wall: If they surround a border garden the fences or walls will tell you how tall the plants should get. You’ll want to integrate fence (or wall) and garden, so choose some plants tall enough to peek above the top to break the horizontal fence line. A 6-foot fence is asking for a 6½-foot-tall plant (or taller). The plants should be the focus, not the fence or the wall.

      In garden beds or islands: You see these from all sides. A rule of thumb says your tallest plant should be less than two-thirds the width of the bed. It’s fine to break that rule, as it’s just a starting place. The larger the bed, the taller you should feel free to go. Just make sure the tallest plants are in or near the center, and the plants around them are scaled down in height. If the garden bed features artwork (or a mailbox!), don’t let the plantings overwhelm the featured item.

      In relation to containers: You’ll be constrained somewhat by the size of the container, but standard advice is to choose tallest plants that are only as tall as the container is high. The wider the container, the larger the plants you can use as well. Very large containers may limit your options depending on where you place them. Consider how tall the plants will get eventually: Will they block a view or a window? Can you move the container if they do get too tall?

       Eight Paths Garden

      When you need taller plants in a hurry: You can easily get needed height by placing containers with tall plants in a bed or border. (Consider putting them on pedestals for even more height!) This way, you don’t have to commit to tall, permanent plants. You can switch up plants and change them from year to year until you find something that appeals to you.