Step #1: Eliminate what isn’t working. Go out and remove plants that do not thrive in your garden or are failing to capture your interest.
Recognizing your USDA growing zone will enable you to select plants most suited for your landscape and become acquainted with each plant’s height at maturity.
Location
Location is key when it comes to creating the ideal flower garden environment, not only in terms of what can be grown but also how it appears within its surrounding environment. Flower beds can serve as focal points in landscaped spaces or use frames entrances and create transitions from formal to informal areas as focal points.
Key factors when selecting plants include how much sunlight the area receives; different species have differing lighting needs. If your area receives full sun, look for plants that thrive there; in partial shade locations, select species that do well with less direct light.
Flower garden designers employ layers that add interest throughout the seasons, such as using shrubs for winter structure and perennials for summer color and autumn blooms. A good rule of thumb for creating depth in flower beds is planting taller plants at the back while shorter ones in front.
Soil
Flowering plants need full sun to reach their potential, and planting in areas without enough light limits the number of blooms you can harvest. Soil conditions must also be taken into consideration since most garden plants prefer well-drained soil. Conducting a soil test will reveal information such as organic matter content, pH level and nutrient content of your garden soil.
Plants need to be in the appropriate height range for their location; experienced garden designers also take into account the mature sizes of all of the plants within a bed to achieve an aesthetically pleasing garden that works in all seasons.
Piet Oudolf, an internationally-recognized designer, suggests grouping plants by shape in order to achieve this effect. By grouping the plants this way, each layer subtly transitions into the next and results in less of an choppy effect overall. He also advises planting perennials with staggered bloom times so your garden is always drawing visitors in; making this task simpler if your selection includes multiple species.
Plants
A flower garden looks best when its design feels relaxed, with plants grouped without rigid hierarchy. Taller plants should go in the back while shorter ones should go at the front unless they feature delicate floral sprays or long stems that would look strange coming out from under their lower parts (like alliums, salvias, heucheras or veronicas).
Horticulturists generally advise selecting plants with similar soil and light requirements to create harmonious blooming environments. Beyond color and shape considerations, flower gardens must take into account seasonal interest as well as staggered bloom times when selecting their plants.
Piet Oudolf, an internationally acclaimed landscape designer, suggests experimenting with flower shapes and combinations of perennials in order to see what works best. For an organic appearance he suggests choosing flowers with spires, plumes or daisies rather than simple bell-like forms for more natural appeal. Finally, think about an overall theme or concept you wish to achieve through these combinations of shapes and colors.
Focal Points
Focal points help define the layout of a flower garden. From standalone plants to garden art and statues, focal points serve to draw eyes and intrigue visitors. Unique focal points should stand out and draw people in; these might include groupings of plants or even just one single plant, yet shouldn’t overshadow other features in the landscape.
Experienced garden designers always create designs with plant groups that feature year-round interest and staggered bloom times for maximum impact in every season of the year, creating an oasis that doesn’t appear sparse or empty during wintertime.
Focal points are any prominent feature that draws the eye; this could include anything from a garden trellis to an arbor or bench that stands out. They could also include architectural features that are specific to your home such as curved sidewalks leading up to porches or the shape of doorways; focal points should ideally be located where visual lines intersect – for instance at garden axes or path intersections.