Planning is key when setting up any type of garden. Here are some fundamental points that can help ensure success:
Start by editing ruthlessly: dispose of plants whose colors or blooming habits don’t meet your standards or that don’t perform reliably for you.
Set out clear boundaries for your garden using edging or stones, to prevent grass and weeds from overrunning flower beds.
Location
Location can have a dramatic impact on everything from the types of flowers that flourish there to its structure and size. When selecting an area for your flower garden, look for full sun (at least six hours of direct sunlight per day) so your plants thrive. Also ensure the site is within easy access of a water hose so you don’t waste gardening time moving water from it into its bed.
Soil quality is also of key importance; flowering plants require slightly acidic, moist soil with a pH level below 7. To determine whether your soil meets these specifications before planting, conduct a soil test first.
Once you know where your garden will go, the next step should be arranging its layout. Some prefer formal looks with straight edges and neatly planted plants while others may choose an informal or natural style with flowing curves and scattered blooms. Whatever style is chosen for you, your flower bed must always take into account mature heights for proper flower spacing.
Soil
Your flower garden requires soil that is rich with essential nutrients and loose enough for flowering plants to flourish in. One effective way of checking its quality is observing its color; healthy dirt should have rich and dark hues while dead or discolored soil may lack essential minerals that are required by plants for healthy growth.
Depending on the sun exposure of your flower garden location, select plants that thrive in direct sunlight. Conversely, for flower beds located in partial or full shade environments, mix together perennials and annuals that thrive both under direct light as well as partial shade conditions to add interest throughout the season.
An effective flower garden starts with an effective design layout. Accurate measurements and thoughtful placement of hardscape elements like trellises and arbors is key to its success, along with considerations such as plant heights and mature sizes, color combinations, bloom times and fragrance. Make sure your plants thrive in their climate by considering the USDA growing zone in which you live as you select plants to fill out your bed.
Sunlight
Flower gardens can be an enjoyable way to add color and attract pollinators, but managing one may prove challenging for beginners. Understanding which soil, sun and water conditions your plants require for success is crucial; full-sun perennial flowers often succumb to shade while shade-loving annuals thrive under intense sunlight.
Allow yourself time to observe the planting area on different days to see how much direct and indirect light it receives, including any trees that might leaf out during spring or summer, cast shading over your garden space and require shade-shades for protection.
Experts advise incorporating flowering plants with staggered bloom times so you can enjoy blooms throughout the year. A combination of shrubs and perennials provide continuity from winter through spring; adding colorful annuals keeps the garden looking vibrant in summer; while trellises or pergolas make excellent focal points.
Water
Flower gardens are more than mere collections of plants; they’re an integral component of your landscape. An effective flower garden should be situated where it “belongs,” such as near an entryway, shade tree or focal point of your yard; otherwise it will look out-of-place and become an eyesore in no time! A garden planted randomly on your lawn looks unnatural at best and acts as a distraction at worst.
When selecting the location for a flower garden, look for an area which receives six to eight hours of sun each day; otherwise, the flowers won’t bloom as fully.
Before beginning planting, clear away weeds and grass from the area while improving soil by adding organic matter. Be sure to understand your USDA growing zone so you don’t select plants that won’t tolerate your climate’s heat or cold. Finally, avoid working the soil when it is too wet as this harms its structure and is less conducive to plant roots than working when dry. If starting with an empty site, add all-purpose balanced fertilizer as well as layer of compost before you start.