No matter if you are adding new flowers or starting from scratch, the first step should be locating any underground utility lines and watching which area receives how much sunshine during each day.
Combining perennial flowers and annuals creates year-round color in your garden. Be sure to include plants that bloom at different times so your space stays lush even after their flowers have withered away.
Location
Flower gardens should be planted in locations that receive ample sunlight. When planning or adding to an existing garden, take note of where and when sunlight hits each space during the day; if necessary, shade-loving perennials and annuals such as Heuchera or Sage might provide sufficient shade coverage in areas lacking sufficient sun.
Experienced gardeners know to choose plants with staggered bloom times so their gardens remain colorful all season. This requires selecting a combination of tall perennials and shrubs with staggered bloom times as well as shorter low-growing ones to add movement and fill out their space. When planning their planting map, place the taller plants nearer the back while placing smaller blooms closer to the front for maximum impact.
Soil
Gardening flowers can quickly become daunting for newcomers. There are millions of plants to select, each variety with specific needs and requirements for growth. Starting with seeds or buying them at a nursery, following some basic planting principles will increase your odds of success.
Select a site with sufficient sunlight. Most flowers need full sun for optimal development; if your space only offers partial shade, select flowers that can still thrive in this environment.
Make sure that the soil is free from large stones, debris and other materials that could obstruct drainage or restrict root-run. Allow flowers enough space to thrive – plants that are too close together could lead to fungal disease and prevent air circulation.
Water
Flowers need healthy, well-draining soil that requires plenty of organic material for them to flourish; another key step for flower gardeners is eliminating unsightly weeds which sap water and nutrients necessary for your blooms to flourish.
Before beginning to dig, take a tour of your yard to determine where the new flower garden should go. Also learn the growing zone so you don’t select plants which cannot tolerate temperature extremes in your region.
At the right time of year, planting perennial flowers is crucial. Most do well when planted in spring; bulbs and wildflowers should be planted later, usually in fall. Too soon planting can stress them out; shallow surface watering discourages deep root development so aim to thoroughly soak your soil on a regular basis for best results.
Fertilizer
No matter if you’re planting perennial flowers that return year after year or annuals that require annual replacement, fertilizer usage is critical for success. To determine the optimal dose, soil testing can provide invaluable insight.
Apply the recommended amounts of lime and fertilizer based on your results, using this guideline: Divide garden area square footage by 100 and apply number of pounds per square inch listed on soil test report.
Be sure to water the garden prior to adding fertilizer. Applying too much fertilizer too soon could burn their leaves, leading to permanent damage or death for your plants. Avoid spraying plants when they appear wilted as this increases your chance of burning their foliage; for maximum effectiveness use slow release granules on top of soil or outdoor containers instead.
Pruning
One of the biggest mistakes new gardeners make is not pruning their flowers regularly – an essential task which can dramatically enhance both performance and appearance of blooms.
Pruning a garden isn’t simply about improving its aesthetic; it also serves to promote healthy plant development. Pruning during late Winter or early Spring helps prepare your plants for blooming while simultaneously decreasing energy usage from your flowers.
Piit Oudolf, an esteemed garden designer, advocates incorporating shapes as an effective way of adding interest and structure to flower beds or containers. For instance, using different-colored rose spire flowers alongside filler flowers (such as feverfew) in various combinations can create contrast and visual interest in any bed or container.