Flower gardens bring vibrant hues into any yard, providing bees, butterflies and hummingbirds a feast of vibrant hues to feast their eyes upon. Annual or perennial varieties provide bees, butterflies and hummingbirds alike with the color they crave for sustenance.
Choose a location with at least six hours of sun each day; observe how the sun moves throughout a typical day to ensure that your flowers will receive sufficient lighting.
Location
Location is of key importance when planning your flower garden, and will greatly determine which types of blooms you can grow. Select an area with full or partial sun that is on level ground; check your USDA growing zone to identify the plants that thrive there; also, be mindful of when your region’s first and last frost dates are for easier planting decisions.
Recreate interest throughout the year by designing your flower garden to include various heights and colors that complement each other, using a color wheel as a guideline. Keep in mind that vibrant hues should stand out while subdued shades (blue, lavender, mauve, subdued pinks or apricot yellows) fade into the background.
Consider adding shrubs to your flower beds to provide four-season interest and structure, such as evergreens, hedging or those with colorful bark or twisty shapes. Finally, finish it all off by including easy-care perennials and annuals to provide spring, summer and fall blooms.
Soil
Gardening with flowers is a fantastic way to appreciate vibrant hues while learning the craft of gardening. A flower bed can be placed anywhere, from in a corner of your yard near a window to long rows lining front walkways – light preferences and soil type should also be taken into account as plants thrive best under certain conditions.
Once you have chosen an ideal spot, prepare the soil by digging a hole for each plant in which to plant them and adding layers of compost or organic matter that’s rich in nutrients – this will ensure they flourish once planted!
Pull any weeds that appear, as these will steal water and nutrients away from the flowers. Deadhead any faded or wilted blooms regularly to encourage new growth while maintaining the appearance of your garden. Incorporating shrubs or hardy groundcovers for four-season interest would also add value.
Water
Most flowers require at least six hours of sunlight each day in order to thrive, so check your USDA growing zone to identify plants that can endure winter in your yard.
Annuals offer quick bursts of color during one season before dying; perennials return every year if given enough patience. Read the plant descriptions in seed catalogs or at your nursery to understand which plants require what care.
Before planting, carefully unwrap each seedling or transplant and dig a hole that’s as deep and wide as its original container. Add well-rotted manure or garden compost and fork it in before thoroughly soaking the soil prior to pushing in your flower and backfilling and tamping gently.
Water your flower garden weekly using approximately one inch, but avoid overwatering, which could cause root rot and drown young roots. Watering early in the day allows flowers time to dry before nightfall arrives.
Pruning
Once a flower garden has been established, regular maintenance must include pruning the plants. Pruning helps the plants look their best while encouraging new growth; additionally, pruning helps avoid problems caused by leaving blooms unattended such as fungus growth and other issues that arise when left to go unchecked.
Another critical consideration when planting flowers in any given space is the amount of sunlight available to it. Many flowers need ample sunshine in order to flourish, so it is wise to observe the area over several days and see how much direct sun there is throughout each day.
Make sure to include some shrubs for year-round interest by including evergreens, fruit-bearing bushes, colorful barking bushes and texture adding shrubs. Also keep drainage in mind; without proper drainage plants can become waterlogged and suffer root rot; mixing your soil with mulch, compost, sand and volcanic rock may help promote better drainage.