As in any garden, flower beds require proper soil preparation in order to give their plants a healthy start. Furthermore, when planning and designing such an oasis there are numerous considerations which must be made when creating one.
Repetition is key to creating visual harmony, as are flowers with long seasons and easy growing conditions. Foliage also adds texture and color when blooms have died out, adding depth and dimension when flowers have gone past their prime.
Determine the Size of the Bed
As part of planning a flower garden, the initial step involves determining its size. This step is especially crucial if your bed is an island as its depth will affect how deep the planting area needs to be. Your available space also dictates what plants can be planted and their size.
As part of your flower garden design, it’s also beneficial to consider a plant’s mature overall height when choosing plants for planting. This ensures your flowers are placed at an eye-catching height while also making the beds easier to design, by helping stagger heights evenly and ensure tallest plants don’t obscure windows or doors.
Not only should you consider a plant’s height, but its shape or form as well. This will help when creating a balanced arrangement of greenery and flowers as plants with different forms can work well together to form one harmonious ensemble.
Determine the Height of the Plants
Your selection of plants at various heights plays a critical role in designing an attractive garden design. Tall plants add vertical interest, while shorter varieties serve as groundcover and soften the edges of beds. Shrubs and evergreens that offer color or structure even during winter provide four-season interest and create four-season interest in your yard.
Assure your bed site receives enough sunlight for the plants you select. Some varieties prefer full sun while others require shade or part-sun conditions; consult a garden center near you or online to determine which varieties do well in your growing zone.
If you plan to plant shrubs or perennials, consult their catalog, website, or cultural instructions booklet for an idea of their mature size and estimate how many you need in your design. It would also be beneficial to conduct a soil test beforehand to see whether your soil provides nutrients and drainage necessary for flower growth.
Determine the Color of the Plants
Flower color is a fundamental element in designing any garden, and many gardeners enjoy using cool hues such as blues and purples while others prefer vibrant warm tones such as reds and yellows. Both styles of hue can work beautifully when combined with suitable foliage.
Your selection of plants for your flower garden design is of equal importance; too few will look sparse while too many can create an unruly mess. Aim to include at least three of each type of plant species for an effective balance.
To create your flower garden layout, you can use graph paper and various drawing supplies, such as a compass or plastic template used by artists to draw perfect circles. Sketch the outline of the bed as a series of circles and blobs; label each circle or blob with the name of each plant you plan on planting there.
Determine the Focal Points
Focal points in flower gardens serve to direct and add character, drawing the eye away from other parts of the landscape and drawing visitors in closer. Focal points may take many forms: from standout plants such as Japanese maples with red-leafed leaves to architectural features like pergolas or arches; garden art pieces or water features may even work. It’s essential that focal points blend harmoniously into the overall landscape without clashing with any of its components.
Ideal focal points should be situated at intersections or the places where lines of sight change direction, for instance at the top of stairs; an urn serves as a visual reward after climbing all those steps! Trellis or arbor structures can also create focal points when draped with colorful vines or plants to draw the eye to that focal point in a garden.
Find colors and textures to complement the focal point, such as flowers that bloom during spring and summer, autumn hues and evergreen foliage. Also keep your garden’s overall aesthetic in mind: whether that means formal English gardens with traditional plants or eclectic mixtures of wildflowers and whimsicality.