I recently took out bricks that edged between my front lawn and a 3' deep x 25' long dirt planter. I put in edging to hold back the lawn, and am slowly gathering rocks from my favorite beach as a rock border. I want to plant something that will provide a lot of color, is low-lying and spreads easily (but not too easily). The area gets southern sun most of the day, except in the summer when the large mulberry tree on the lawn is full. winter, fall and most of the spring the tree is not a shade factor. I planted impatiens the first time around as my border and lost them all in the recent extreme cold (28 degrees in the San Fernando Valley!) There are two dawrf citrus trees between the house and the lawn about a foot or so behind the borders I will plant, a potato bush, hibiscus shrub, some lavendar and a geranium plant. none of these are a shade factor, except maybe the potato bush. The area is sprinklered so and drains okay...snails have been an issue in the past.

thanks for any tips. just entering the gardening world and love it!