Flower gardens bring an abundance of color throughout the summer season. Many gardens combine perennials with annual blooming flowers for continuous blooming.
Start by finding a location with full sunlight. Pay attention to how the sun moves across your site throughout a typical day before making any definitive decisions.
Location
Flower garden plants require plenty of sun and well-drained soil in order to flourish. Before planting, inspect the area to assess how much sunlight it receives each day; ideally choose a spot that receives full sun without being shaded by trees or buildings.
Look up the USDA planting zone where your yard lies to better understand which flowers will thrive in it. Be familiar with your zone’s first and last frost dates to plan when to sow flowers in your garden.
If you’re growing flowers in containers, use potting mix with fertilizer added for maximum growth and to prevent waterlogging. Combine tall plants for height, fillers for width and trailing plants for color!
Soil
Flowers need well-draining soil that retains moisture well. If some parts of yours lack this essential component, amend it with compost and organic matter to increase its nutrients and nourishment.
Focus on staggered bloom times when planning your garden so you have perennial flowers with new leaves all year-long and four-season shrubs for added interest.
Maintain wide paths so you can walk through your garden without inadvertently damaging or trampling flowers, and select low maintenance plants that require minimal upkeep and attention. Be sure to include bee-friendly options like lavender and sage to attract pollinators – witnessing bees relaxing over your flowers on a summer afternoon is one of the greatest delights of gardening! Then just sit back and admire your masterpiece!
Water
Flowering plants require plenty of water in order to thrive, making selecting an area with easy access to a faucet or hose connection an efficient way of watering your garden.
Soil improvements are key for creating a healthier flower garden. Most flowers prefer loamy, well-draining soil; adding organic material and all-purpose balanced fertilizer at planting time will increase nutrients for strong plant growth and improved bloom.
Consider planting both perennials and annuals to provide season-long blooms in your garden. Most perennials have specific bloom times; annuals (zinnias, impatiens, cosmos, and cleome) add lasting color after other flowers have faded. You could also include bulbs for early spring or fall blooming as well as evergreen shrubs which provide structure year-round interest; then select complementary colors with bright blossoms popping out against subtle hues in the backdrop.
Pruning
Once you know where and what soil your planting site will be located, begin the preparation of the bed. Digging will make removing any grass growing within your flower bed area much simpler.
Next, observe how much sunlight there is. Most flowers prefer full sunlight over partial shade.
Be mindful that certain cut flowers, like zinnias and sunflowers, require a trellis for support as vining plants. As they will eventually reach adult size they should be considered when making your selections; read their descriptions at seed packet or nursery to know their height when fully grown.
Feeding
Planting a flower garden in your home is a wonderful way to add color and charm, but for it to succeed you must know all of its fundamentals first.
Before planting, walk around the area to assess how much sunlight it gets. Most flowers thrive best in full sun conditions; therefore an area shaded by trees would not be optimal for growing flowers.
Acquaint yourself with your USDA growing zone and initial and final frost dates; these will enable you to identify what can grow successfully in your region.
Beginners looking to plant flowers won’t go far wrong with annual varieties like petunias, geraniums and pansies as these easy-to-grow beauties offer ample summer color without being replaced annually; plus they are inexpensive. On the other hand, perennial varieties require more work but make an impressive impactful statement!