No matter if you are starting from scratch or revamping existing flower beds, look at them with an analytical eye. Be ruthless about weeding out plants that do not meet your requirements for focal flowers, year-round interest and staggered bloom times.
Focus on selecting plants that thrive in your garden’s light and soil conditions before playing around with height, color and shape options.
Consider the Location
Flower gardens add color and dimension to any landscape while attracting pollinators like hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. However, successful gardening requires planning; you need to know which flowers thrive in your region, how large of an area bed should be considered suitable, etc.
Once you have this knowledge in hand, it’s time to plan out your layout. Consider what plants you would like as focal points and consider their flower sizes, year-round interest and any special features such as fragrance or cutting ability.
Professionally designed flower beds typically use odd numbers of the same species in groups to create dynamic arrangements with less visual jumble than an untidy collection of plants. When selecting plants with unusual leaves and foliage colors such as sword-like gladioli that contrast beautifully with bleeding hearts; or for added visual interest choose something like Irises Aureo-Variegata for its variegated foliage, such as Irises ‘Aureo-Variegata’ for its visual interest.
Think About the Light
Just as location is of vital importance when searching for real estate, sun exposure must also be taken into consideration when laying out a flower garden. Full sun locations offer maximum color and blooming season length; for shaded spots in your yard, choose flowers that thrive with partial or no sunlight.
Think carefully about grouping plants of differing heights together for added depth and interest, and don’t overlook experimenting with foliage shapes and textures for extra visual interest even when flowers aren’t blooming!
Hardscape elements such as pergolas, arbors and trellises add the perfect finishing touches to any flower garden and can act as focal points. Even simple paths made of gravel or stones can add beauty and reduce lawn work; plus pollinators love having somewhere restful to rest their wings!
Think About the Soil
Before starting to dig, consider sketching a rough design using hardscape pavers or garden hose to determine where plants will go and sketch a rough design before beginning digging. Accurate measurements and thoughtful layout will ensure a successful result!
Experienced flower garden designers use various plant heights and staggered bloom times for flowers with staggered bloom times to ensure full and lush beds in their beds, without looking bare in winter or overrun by weeds in summer.
Color plays an essential part in creating stunning flower gardens. Flowers that sit adjacent on the color wheel, such as pink and purple, make for striking combinations; those contrasting directly across like red and yellow provide interesting contrasts. Repeating some shades of one hue adds interest while helping tie together designs seamlessly.
Think About the Plants
Flower gardens can be marvels of natural beauty when designed carefully and expertly, and that is where the art of gardening really shows through.
First step to creating the perfect flower garden: selecting the appropriate groupings of plants. A well-designed flower bed should feature tallest plants at the back, short ones in front and all sizes of plant in between – known as layering technique which makes an immense difference to overall appearance of your garden.
Expert flower garden designers make sure their designs incorporate staggered bloom times by mixing perennial and annual flowers to ensure that the garden stays looking its best year round, eliminating areas where blooms have faded quickly while providing plenty of color throughout the year. Finally, hardscaping can make or break a garden; adding even something as simple as gravel paths can add elegance while inviting visitors to explore your masterpiece!