Flower gardens need to fit seamlessly into their surroundings if they’re to be successful; an awkward border plonked in the middle of an otherwise lush lawn would only serve to distract from its beauty and draw unwanted attention.
To create an aesthetic design, it is essential to consider how plants will impact its design in terms of shape, color and texture. A garden featuring plants with varied foliage textures provides visual interest even after its flowers have withered away.
Size
Your flower garden’s size depends on how much room there is available and the types of blooms that interest you. Ideally, its design should provide sufficient space to highlight both foliage and blooms while accommodating mature plant sizes.
Prior to planting flowers in your flower garden, sketch a rough plan in order to visualize its layout. Include measurements and any features like paths or borders you plan on keeping or adding – these will help create the ideal arrangement of your space.
Referring to the White Flower Farm catalog or website, your order’s cultural instructions booklet and each flower label for its mature spread (also referred to as its height), plan accordingly – otherwise a tightly packed bed could become unruly as its flowers fill in over time.
Shape
Flower gardens come in all shapes and sizes, from expansive rectangles to tiny corner beds. No matter the size of their proposed bed, gardeners should create a scaled plan before beginning digging – this will enable them to determine whether it’s large enough or whether an additional path will be necessary.
Planning a flower garden requires carefully considering color combinations. Colors on opposite ends of the color wheel such as pink and red can look striking together, while foliage provides color and texture when the blooms have faded.
Consideration should also be given to how much space each plant requires upon reaching maturity, so as not to overload or leave your garden looking sparse after planting.
Height
Leaves should not be ignored when creating flower gardens; their dense, spiky or round growth forms provide valuable textures.
Flowering plants require full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight daily). A poorly placed or shaded garden can quickly become an irreparable disaster.
Familiarize yourself with your USDA growing zone to select flowering plants that will flourish in your yard. Also keep track of when frost dates occur so you can plant flowers when they have the highest likelihood of surviving and blooming successfully. Finally, ensure the soil you’re working with can support their moisture requirements as you make this selection.
Color
Color choice in flower gardens is entirely subjective, depending on individual taste. Some prefer vibrant, lively hues while others may prefer more subdued pastel-based tones.
Start by picking out colors you love and build from there. Complementary hues provide high contrast while being easy to pair together.
Analogous colors (those found adjacent on the color wheel) also work well together, while shades of the same hue create a monochromatic aesthetic that unifies your planting scheme. Flower gardens require ongoing care such as watering, weeding and deadheading of spent blooms to stay looking their best.
Focal Points
Focal points in flower garden design attract attention and help maintain visual flow within the landscape. Focal points may include plant species or groups of them as well as garden structures like gates, trellis arches or fences – ideal focal points should remain beautiful throughout each season.
Objects like sculpture and garden art also make great focal points, but should be chosen with care to avoid appearing cluttered. A great way to assess whether a focal point works is by placing it and then taking a step back – does it capture and hold onto your gaze?
Focal points should be strategically positioned where lines of the landscape converge, for instance where lines intersect a garden. A bright red bench attracts attention while leading the viewer through other parts of the garden.