Starting a flower garden provides families with an engaging outdoor activity. However, flowers require specific conditions including temperature, soil moisture levels and sunlight in order to flourish and produce the highest-quality blooms.
Begin by determining your USDA hardiness zone to see which plants thrive best in your climate conditions, then prepare your garden space by clearing away grass, weeds and rocks from its vicinity.
Location
Establishing a flower garden starts with choosing an ideal location. An optimal spot would receive at least six hours of daily sun, although some types of flowers require more sun than others; do your research and pick plants that thrive in whatever amount of sun there is available to you.
As part of your research for your ideal area, take note of how the soil drains and collects water; this can have an enormous impact on what types of flowers can grow in it. If there are pools or puddles present, then it may not be suitable as a garden location.
After selecting your spot, use a shovel to clear away grassy layers and weeds, being mindful not to overdo it – this will preserve the healthy layer of organic matter beneath the soil! Next step should be purchasing your flowers or seeds while they’re still in their nursery pots.
Soil
Flowers thrive best when their roots have access to healthy soil. The key to creating an idyllic flower garden is preparing the bed beforehand by digging and clearing away rocks, debris, and sod. Also adding organic matter such as mulch will further enrich the soil quality.
Determining the type of soil in a garden site is also key, as various flowers thrive under certain soil conditions. A good idea would be to visit your local garden resource center and test its quality for yourself.
Decide the type of plants you would like in your flower garden. Choose between perennials and shrubs or adding an array of annuals for season-long color. It is wise to include flowers with staggered bloom times so there will always be vibrant blossoms coming into bloom, as well as aromatic ones to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Sunlight
As you select the location for your flower garden, keep in mind that certain species require full sun while others can tolerate more shade. Also select an area easily reachable by lawnmowers as well as where watering spigots can be easily reached.
Once you have chosen a location for your flower bed, remove any grass or other weeds before amending the soil by mixing in compost to improve its quality and establish your garden for success. This step should not be skipped in setting up your new floral garden!
Knowledge of your USDA growing zone can also be helpful for selecting plants best suited to your climate conditions, and understanding when frost dates occur in your region will allow you to determine when you should plant. When it comes to outdoor planting, be certain that there will not be any frost during the winter; otherwise it could damage roots and buds of flowers you intend on growing!
Water
Water requirements vary according to the flowers and shrubs you plant in a flower garden, from dahlias and hydrangeas requiring much moisture, to cosmos and zinnias which need less.
Your yard’s soil has an impactful effect on how much water a flower garden requires, for instance sand drains quickly and may need frequent irrigation, while more clay soil retains moisture longer, thus increasing your frequency of watering needs.
Before beginning a flower garden, it’s wise to research your USDA growing zone and area frost dates in order to find out when is best time and place to plant. Furthermore, visiting natural areas that reflect local conditions will allow you to learn which flowers will thrive in your environment and replicate those across your garden – this creates a seamless look which makes for appealing aesthetics.