Flower gardens can add color and character to any yard, starting by clearing away grass and prepping soil.
Keep in mind that most flowers do best when exposed to direct sunlight for 6 or more hours each day; check the USDA growing zone map to identify which blooms will thrive in your region.
Choose a Location
Flowers add visual interest and can be planted in beds of almost any shape and size, from rectangles beneath windows to long rows lining walkways or driveways and even an arbor draped with climbing roses – adding beauty and aesthetic appeal to your landscape.
Step one of establishing your flower garden should be selecting its site. Look for an area that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight each day as most annual and perennial bloomers require full sun exposure for growth.
Experienced garden designers understand the power of repetition to achieve floral harmony. By placing core colors, shapes, and species repeatedly across a bed will help anchor it; also consider staggered bloom times so when one type of flower starts fading another is already budding and ready to take its place. Finally review soil drainage; most flowering plants thrive best in loamy, well-draining dirt.
Select Your Plants
Next, decide where you would like to plant your flower garden. A popular option is in front of your home, while there may also be beds on corners or other locations available to you. Select an area where your flowers will receive adequate sunlight–typically six to eight hours daily–and take into consideration recommended spacing guidelines, height requirements and bloom times when making this selection.
Experienced flower garden designers seek out plants with staggered bloom times to add color throughout the seasons. Try planting easy-to-grow perennials like catmint and aster for spring and summer color; while annuals like zinnias add fall/winter flair.
Consider including shrubs or evergreens to your landscape for year-round structure and color variation. They often require less maintenance and provide more visual interest than flowering varieties, as well as providing multiple seasons’ worth of color options.
Create a Plan
As you plan your flower garden, think carefully about what impactful statement you want your bed to make visually. Do you want it to frame the house or driveway, create an eye-catching backdrop for patio furniture or birdbath installations or be the focal point of your yard?
Consider the height of your plants when planning your garden design. It is ideal to place taller blooms near the back, followed by medium and shorter plants for an interesting three-dimensional effect while making sure all blooms receive sufficient sun.
Consider also the shape and texture of your flowers when planning a garden design. Repetition can create continuity within a garden design; try mixing shapes with textures – such as mixing fine foliage (such as marigolds) with coarse foliage (canna lilies). This adds additional dimension and intrigue in a garden design.
Get Started
Ideal flower gardens should be situated close to your home or garage so they’re easy to access with a hose, while flower beds should have easy drainage and plenty of sun.
If you have a large expanse of grass, landscape edging may help define clearly defined borders for your flower beds and make maintenance simpler while preventing weeds from invading the garden.
Gather flowers that require similar levels of water and light together, such as annuals with perennials or bulbs with annuals. This ensures your flower garden provides vibrant color year-round.
Make sure your garden features plants with four-season appeal, such as evergreen shrubs and perennials with colorful bark or twisty shapes that offer four-season interest, like evergreen shrubs and perennials with colorful bark or twisty shapes, evergreen shrubs, evergreen perennials with colorful bark or twisty shapes, perennials with colorful bark or twisty shapes, evergreen trellises or architectural features that add structure and texture. Incorporating decorative trellises or birdbaths as focal points can create stunning gardens.