Step one in creating a flower garden is selecting an area. Preferably one that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight per day since most flowers require constant light to thrive.
Take note of your USDA growing zone when considering plants for your space; certain ones will thrive, while others could succumb to extreme heat or cold conditions and die as a result.
Location
Locating your flower garden near an accessible water source will make watering it much simpler when its blooms are in full force. Also consider planting them near areas that make for easier harvesting and trimming.
Experienced flower garden designers create gardens that remain beautiful year round by planting blooming flowers at various intervals throughout the year. Shrubs provide winter interest while spring blooms bloom from perennials while annuals add summer color and fall flowers bring annuals into play for an all year look.
When designing a flower garden, choose plants that offer color, fragrance and movement. Foliage provides needed structure while colors that complement one another beautifully can be found pairing greenery with flowers from similar hues on the color wheel. Also keep shape in mind; world-renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf advocates using repetitive flower shapes such as spires, bells, buttons umbels and screens to bring continuity and calm to their designs while selecting blooms with different textures and hues can add interest and texture.
Soil
Most flowers prefer loose, well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter. An ideal potting mix typically comprises an equal mixture of sand, clay and silt known as sandy loam, with no rocks, plant roots or decayed wood debris present – consult with your local soil supplier for recommendations.
For optimal success when growing full-sun perennials and annuals, select an area of the yard which receives at least six hours of direct sunlight every day. Most flowering plants won’t survive in shaded garden beds.
Choose native plants to cultivate an environment conducive to pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds in your USDA climate zone. Natives provide the greatest sustenance for pollinators while still flourishing well there. Add shrubs with four-season interest like fruit trees or broadleaf evergreens with twisty branches for winter color and texture – these will all keep pollinators fed while still making space for foliage growth and winter survival. Keep the garden tidy by regularly clearing away dead flowers or stems so energy can go towards growth or winter survival instead.
Planting
Beginning a flower garden requires choosing soil that provides adequate drainage and organic nutrients. Knowing your USDA growing zone allows you to choose plants which thrive in that particular climate zone.
Next, decide how you would like the flower garden to appear. Some gardeners favor formal styles with straight edges and neatly-arranged clusters of blooms; others opt for more naturalistic options featuring curvier shapes with irregular clumping of plants.
No matter the style you desire, always prioritize having healthy, hardy flowers that will continue to add beauty year round.
Care
Care of your flower garden depends upon its contents; however, all growers should perform some essential maintenance tasks regularly: watering, clearing out weeds and deadheading blooms that have faded; fertilizing as necessary with compost and organic material to enhance soil.
Make your flower garden even more captivating by including hardscape elements, such as a pergola draped in roses or an arbor that marks the transition between public and private space. Doing this will add structure to the bed and serve as a focal point to draw people’s eyes around your garden from one side to the other.
Plant flowers with differing maintenance needs together to reduce the time you spend tending to your garden. For instance, full-sun perennial flowers go well with others that need full sunlight, while drought-tolerant bloomers pair well with others that require less moisture. You could also choose plants with similar shapes and fragrances so as to maintain continuity throughout the season.