Yarrow

Use yarrow where full sun and a low-water planting style meet: along the open face of a mixed border, in broad drifts beside a path, or through a sunny naturalized area. Keep it out of tight formal edging, where its spreading habit can crowd neighboring plants and make the line harder to maintain. Its pollinator-friendly flowers and deer resistance suit exposed beds where browsing pressure or dry conditions limit other perennial choices.

Set plants 18 inches apart, center to center, for a connected planting that fills in quickly. A mature clump can reach about 2 feet wide, so leave a reachable edge from a path or maintenance gap rather than packing it against walls, steps, or slower-growing neighbors. In repeated groups, allow the flower heads to overlap visually while retaining enough access to deadhead and divide plants if needed.

Place yarrow in full sun, where it can remain part of a low-water bed after establishment. Good drainage is important when choosing its position; avoid low spots that stay wet or sites that collect runoff from roofs and paving. In richer soil, reserve a little extra elbow room for the stems and keep it away from plants that need consistently moist ground.^[1][2]

The main display runs from early summer into early fall, making yarrow a useful bridge between spring-flowering perennials and later-season border plants. Position it behind low early-season edging or bulbs, then let its roughly 2½-foot stems carry the bed through summer. Removing spent flower clusters can extend the bloom period and reduces the chance of unwanted seedlings beyond the intended planting area.^[1]