Unlearn the basics of flower garden design. Consider factors like location, soil conditions and light requirements when planning a floral oasis.
Pay special attention when designing your flower garden to the mature height and width of each plant’s mature size, along with year-round appeal, fragrant qualities, hummingbird- and butterfly-attracting abilities and ability to draw visitors in from outside your garden.
Location
The ideal location for your flower garden depends on the types of blooms you want to grow, such as lush hydrangeas. Some species require morning sun with afternoon shade; other flowers like sunflowers or drought-tolerant succulents thrive under direct sunlight all day. When growing flowering shrubs nearer to your house or patio for easier trimming and maintenance – as well as four-season visual appeal from their colorful bark, fruit, foliage and more!
Once you’ve selected a location for your garden, clear away grass and weeds from the area. Proper soil preparation is critical – without it, plants may suffer while flowers may not bloom as expected. Keep track of first and last frost dates to help decide when planting occurs.
Design
Plant shapes are an integral element of flower garden design. Some plants grow into spires while other flowers possess unique forms like bells, daisies, globes and umbels. Mixing the various plant shapes helps create an eye-catching display; gardeners may group similar ones together for added visual interest.
Color is also an important consideration. Grouping shades of the same hue adjacently, such as pink and red, looks pleasing; using colors opposite on the color wheel such as purple and yellow can also work well together; don’t forget about adding texture through foliage as an add-on feature that lasts long after its blooms have fallen off!
Add shrubs to your flower garden for structure and year-round interest! Dwarf conifers, hedges and broadleaf evergreens all make great additions – and adding a trellis or gazebo can help frame it beautifully!
Plants
Flower beds come in all shapes and sizes, from expansive rectangles to petite corner beds. When designing your own garden, use a garden hose to outline its edges before gazing upon it from multiple angles for an estimate of its full bloom size (keeping in mind you may need to thinning as the flowers mature).
Whenever planting in direct sunlight, select plants that thrive under these conditions; most flowering perennials require at least six hours of sun each day in order to thrive and produce blooms. Aim for three-season color displays while including some native species which offer nectar and pollen for pollinators such as bees, butterflies and other pollinators species.
Plants come in all sorts of shapes and colors, so consider using repetition to create an appealing garden design. Horticulturists recommend placing at least three of each flower variety throughout your garden bed in order to maintain visual harmony and prevent your garden from looking disorganized.
Maintenance
Once you’ve selected a location and design for your flower garden, as well as prepared its soil, planting will begin. Here are a few rules you should keep in mind before beginning:
Make sure that the flowers you select for a site meet its conditions for optimal bloom. For example, in full sun conditions it would be wise to choose plants which thrive under direct sunlight; otherwise if your garden features partial or full shade use plants which thrive under both lighting conditions.
Avoid overcrowding the garden; when selecting your planting plan, keep mature plant sizes in mind. Also consider repetition to create visual unity; perhaps using repeating shapes like spires or umbels throughout your garden as visual pillars would do just the trick!
Take into consideration your personal aesthetic when creating the garden of your dreams. Do you prefer formal arrangements of straight edges and orderly plantings, or something more natural with meandering paths and looser groupings?