Flower gardens come in all shapes and sizes – from formal beds beneath front windows to long rows lining walkways – yet regardless of which style you opt for, the essential principles behind creating a successful floral garden remain the same.
Begin by selecting a location for the bed and clearing away grass and weeds. Be sure to place it where it will receive ample sunlight – most flowers require full sunlight with well-draining soil.
Know Your Soil
Addition of a flower garden can add color and beauty to the landscape, yet before beginning it’s important to consider certain key factors first.
Make sure that the bed receives adequate sunlight and is outside any frost zones, and locate any underground utility lines, according to Jim Putnam, founder of HortTube and Southern Living Plant Collection expert.
Most flowers require loamy soil that’s well-draining for maximum success; the specific soil requirements depend on what kind of blooms you want to cultivate. Clay soil should be amended with compost or organic material to improve drainage; for optimal results it is wise to conduct a soil test as this will enable you to assess what nutrients your flower beds require – this can prevent over or under-fertilizing! Additionally, ensure your flower bed is tidy before you start planting by clearing away weeds, cutting back grasses and installing landscape edgings – ensure everything before getting your hands dirty!
Plan Your Plantings
Gardening with flowers can be an enjoyable project, but requires some hard work in order to be successful. First step should be clearing away existing grass or weeds in the area you intend to establish your flower bed; once that task has been accomplished, consider installing landscape edging made of plastic brick or stone to define its borders.
Before planting, take into consideration the sun exposure of your intended space. Most flower seeds and plants require full sunlight in order to thrive; choose an area which receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day.
Note the time of year in which you plan to plant flowers. Some bloom only during summer; others thrive best during autumn, so experienced garden designers ensure their designs feature flowers with staggered bloom times for color throughout each season. Don’t forget to incorporate foliage as another year-round interest!
Select Your Flowers
As you browse garden centers or nurseries for plants, keep in mind what kinds of flowers and foliage you want for your flower garden. It helps to have an idea or list in mind as a starting point, but try not to limit your search too narrowly as there’s so much beauty out there that can become quite overwhelming!
Once your blooms arrive at home, remove any packaging and rubber bands before placing them into buckets of room-temperature water containing cut flower food for several hours of optimal processing. Allowing this time will allow them to properly hydrate and open up.
Color is also an integral factor when selecting flowers, so aim to choose those whose hues complement each other on the color wheel or are within an agreeable shade range. Foliage adds much-needed texture when blooms have faded. World-renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf suggests considering shape when selecting perennial blooms; such as spires, plumes, buttons, daisies and umbels as possibilities.
Create Your Design
Flower gardens add color and charm to any landscape while welcoming pollinators into our ecosystem. Additionally, flower gardens can help enhance curb appeal of homes by covering unattractive backyard features and blocking wind from sensitive shrubs.
Before planting, create an empty space and enrich it with rich compost. Next, select a shape for your bed – rectangular beds under windows are one option while long beds lining front walkways or flowing oval or circular shapes may create an organic aesthetic for your yard.
Consider using ornamental grasses like Muhly grass or purple fountain grass to fill in corners of your garden and add height. Small shrubs like Ligustrum distylium or Nandina shrubs are great additions for adding structure and filling gaps between plants. Include perennials for year-round interest with staggered bloom times as well as flowering annuals that bloom summer through fall – add flowers with bonus attributes, such as fragrance or which attract butterflies, hummingbirds or other pollinators as an added touch!