Reevaluating and changing up your flower garden can be fun and satisfying! Take an inventory and be ruthless about editing it–weed out plants that don’t bloom regularly, require too much maintenance, or don’t fit with your desired garden aesthetic.
Consider planting flowers specifically designed for cutting as an additional source of color. When selecting varieties with long season length and dense foliage that will support cut blooms.
Location
No matter its form or purpose, whether tucked away in an obscure corner of the yard, in a raised bed, or as part of an elaborate landscape design plan, your flower garden must be sited so as to maximize growth of its plants. Pay special attention to sunlight exposure and soil conditions in its location as these factors will have an effect on their survival; also ensure it can easily accommodate watering as lack of watering is one of the main causes of flower death.
Choose a spot that receives at least six hours of direct sun daily if possible, but if this isn’t possible then make note of when and how the light changes throughout the day and look for places with filtered shade so you can include shade-loving perennials and shrubs for texture and color when your more showy blooms fade away.
Soil
Your garden’s soil plays a pivotal role in its success. According to university extension website, its pH level–whether neutral (6.5 to 7), alkaline (7+), or acidic (6 and lower)–has an effect on how plants flourish in your garden.
Before planting, amend the soil. A shovel or spade can help loosen and improve your soil profile, while compost can further enhance it.
If you’re feeling uncertain, have your soil tested. A soil testing company will give a report with recommendations to amend it for greater plant growth as well as information about whether there is sufficient organic matter present to nourished your flowers.
Sunlight
Sunlight plays an essential role in your flower garden selection process. Flowers that prefer full sunlight will suffer severely in shadier conditions while those thriving with partial shade preferring bright lighting conditions.
Define your flower beds using garden edging and other materials, according to retired garden designer Donna Hackman, in order to prevent grass and weeds from overtaking your blooms, she advises. She further suggests creating paths between your beds so as not to tread over all your hard work.
Repetition in flower gardens is like location is to real estate agents: repeated core colors, shapes and species create cohesion and make your garden feel more mature than just an uncoordinated collection of plantings. Consider grouping plants by shape like spires or daisies together for visual impact; taller plants should go towards the back while shorter blooms should adorn its front rows to achieve depth and movement in your bedscape.
Water
Flower gardens add beauty and pollinators to a landscape, providing cut flowers or providing low maintenance growing space for herbs. However, it’s essential that a garden site understands the specific requirements needed in order to thrive successfully.
Find your USDA plant hardiness zone and understand when the last frost date was in order to select blooms most likely to survive and flourish in your climate.
Make time to observe how much sunlight a garden area receives throughout the day, then select plants with similar water and sunlight needs based on this knowledge. It can also help reduce overwatering or shading issues by grouping flowers that share similar water/light requirements together.
Plants
An effective flower garden layout will ensure your plantings look their best. Start by measuring the size of the bed, and clearing away any existing grass or weeds from it.
Create defined borders using garden edging or stones to keep grass and weeds out. Next, spread an organic mulch layer that helps regulate soil moisture levels while also protecting from erosion.
Garden designer Piet Oudolf advises gardeners when selecting perennial flowers to consider shape when choosing perennial varieties such as spires, globes and umbels. He further suggests mixing shapes together for maximum interest.
Color should also be an important consideration when choosing blooms for your garden. Opposite colors on the color wheel – such as purple and red – tend to be especially pleasing to the eye.