As you plan your flower garden, keep in mind that flowers have specific needs when it comes to sunlight and soil conditions – these will ultimately determine which types of blooms thrive best in a particular location.
Experienced gardeners take note of both bloom time and color combinations when selecting flowers for their gardens. Certain color schemes appeal to the eye and help create a cohesive aesthetic.
Location
First step of designing a flower garden: choosing an area suitable for planting the desired flowers. Consider how much sunlight an area receives each day if you plan on growing pollinator-attracting species.
Once you’ve identified a location, get acquainted with your USDA planting zone and first/last frost dates in your region. These details help determine which flowers will thrive best in your yard and enable you to create a garden that’s both beautiful and practical.
Remind yourself that maintenance requirements play a factor when selecting your garden location. Drought-tolerant plants work well in combinations with those needing similar conditions, while low-growing perennials help create visual contrast with taller flowers to add visual depth and contrast.
Plants
Once you’ve established the characteristics of your flower garden site, select flowers that thrive under its lighting and soil conditions. Learning your USDA growing zone helps identify plants that won’t survive here and ensures your blooms return year after year.
Make use of flowers that complement each other in terms of color, shape and texture to add depth and dimension. Staggering bloom times of perennials and annuals adds interest, while foliage provides color after blooms have fallen away.
Make your flower garden design harmonious by striking a balance of heights to prevent it from looking unruly or disorganized. Include both low-growing plants like black-eyed Susans and meadow rue as well as taller plants such as spire-like hydrangea or daisies for maximum effect. Colorful blooms pair beautifully with textural foliage like bleeding heart leaves with their sword-like shapes or fine lacy textures of irises for an enjoyable outdoor space experience. Don’t underestimate fragrance and movement’s transformative properties either!
Focal Point
Focus point of a flower garden could be anything from an eye-catching plant, plant grouping or hardscape element, to garden benches, arbors or bridges which help your eye travel from area of the yard to another.
For an effective design, take into account both the size of your space and how many focal points you want to include. Aim for a mix of major and minor features so that your garden does not become overrun with visual clutter.
When selecting plants, keep their mature height in mind when selecting plants for your garden beds. Taller varieties should be placed at the back or center, with medium height and shorter flowers placed towards the front for visual balance.
Know Your USDA Growing Zone When selecting flowers for your yard, it is also crucial that you understand their USDA growing zone requirements so they will flourish successfully. Becoming familiar with a flower’s light requirements ensures it won’t be overcome by direct sunlight or become hidden beneath dense shade.
Background
Flower gardens can add color and attract pollinators to any landscape, yet starting one can be daunting for beginners.
An attractive flower bed features plants of differing heights mixed together. By including flowers that bloom throughout the year, continuous color will provide visual interest throughout its arrangement and keep it interesting throughout each season.
Consider both the colors and foliage of the flowers you select when selecting your garden flowers. A flower garden provides an excellent opportunity to experiment with color combinations and try monochromatic palettes like violet, pink, and lavender hues seen here.
Garden spaces should be easy for guests to navigate and should allow you to admire the flowers from a comfortable spot, like this pergola-framed bench. Hardscape structures such as trellises and arbors add structure while providing space for vines or other climbing plants to flourish in your flowerbeds.