Flower gardens require regular maintenance such as clearing away weeds and deadheading faded blooms, monitoring sun exposure levels in your garden area and noting the individual water requirements of various plants.
To maximize drainage, combine soil with ingredients that reduce clumping and retain moisture, such as the addition of cornmeal or compost tea. Aim for at least an inch of rainwater each week – either from natural sources like rainfall or from watering with your garden hose.
Location
The best location for a flower garden will depend on what kind of flowers you plan on growing; some species, like tulips and daffodils, like cool, moist soil while other annuals and perennials thrive best in warm, sunny areas.
Location should also be key; be close to your water source so you can easily irrigate it with a hose without trekking back and forth with it. Also important is checking for underground utility lines before digging any garden beds.
Be familiar with your growing zone to select plants best suited to the climate and region where you live. Color combinations should also be taken into consideration; shades of pink and yellow look particularly pleasing together, while adjacent hues on the color wheel (such as purple and yellow ) compliment each other nicely.
Soil
If you want your flower garden to flourish, soil quality is absolutely key. Make sure it contains plenty of nutrients while remaining well-draining and free from rocks; opt for a screened mix from a trusted soil supplier as this ensures any large particles have been filtered out of the mix.
Before planting, observe the area for several days to make sure it receives adequate sunlight. Flowers requiring full sun will quickly wither in shaded locations while those that thrive under partial shade could suffer in too much light.
If you want to include vegetables or vines in your flower garden, make sure they have ample room to grow without overshadowing the flowers. Also consider creating walkways through your beds so you can navigate easily without accidentally trampling delicate blooms.
Water
Gardening requires ample water. Sprinklers may provide inefficient coverage, leading to waterlogging in the soil, so timers or soaker hoses should be used instead for direct delivery to roots. Water early each morning so flowers and foliage have time to dry by evening so as to help prevent fungal diseases like powdery mildew.
Most flower plants require full sun, although others can tolerate partial shade or deep shade. To select varieties suitable to your region, research your USDA growing zone and familiarize yourself with frost dates so you can select varieties suitable to your region. It’s also wise to test soil pH levels prior to planting day and add layers of organic matter such as compost/manure/fertilizer mix with sand to the mix for best results.
Fertilizer
Before beginning a flower garden, ensure the area receives ample sun. Full-sun perennials may wither in shaded beds while full-shade blooms will wither under harsh lighting conditions.
Take note of how much sunlight an area gets over time to ascertain whether a flower garden needs at least six hours of exposure in order to flourish.
After conducting a soil test, apply limestone and fertilizer to the area. A 100-square foot area should be enough for you to determine how much to apply; multiply length times width of bed to calculate how much to apply. Space your flowers out so they can reach their full size without competing for nutrients; mixing heights, colors, and textures creates more of an interesting landscape than simple rows of single flowers.
Pruning
Once your garden is established, the next step should be pruning to shape and encourage it into producing the full effect you wish. You can do this either manually or using an electric hedge trimmer.
Note: When creating a flower garden, make sure that you consider the needs of pollinators and birds when selecting plants. Native perennials and shrubs will attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds more easily while fancier hybrid varieties may no longer provide pollen and nectar for these important creatures.
Before digging and planting flowers, take time to test your soil. Testing can help identify what may need to be added or amended before starting your garden, giving yourself the best chance at success when cultivating plants.