Flower gardens add vibrant color and life to any landscape, providing year-long interest for passersby. A thoughtful garden incorporates flowers that bloom at various times for maximum season-long interest.
Springtime is the optimal time for planting a flower garden, once frost risk has passed. Before beginning planting, prepare the site by:
Choose the Right Soil
Your soil choice plays an integral part in how well your flowers grow. A nutrient-rich sandy loam soil with an optimal pH level provides your flowers with access to maximum nutrition and makes the most of every bloom!
For an optimal garden space, to create the right type of soil may require adding compost, manure or other organic matter such as compost to your existing garden space. When purchasing soil for purchase, make sure that it has not been contaminated with rocks that could block water flow and nutrients to your flowers.
Once you have chosen a spot, use a sharp shovel to clear away grass and weeds from it using an effective shovel. Start out small before gradually increasing the space you plant. Make sure your lighting conditions meet requirements; most flowers need at least six hours of direct sunlight daily in order to thrive in your yard environment. Also take into account climate zone requirements as some flowers only thrive under certain weather conditions.
Know Your Location
Locating your garden in the ideal place is of vital importance. A spot that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight per day would provide perfect conditions for full-sun flowers such as roses and dahlias, while shade-loving perennials like hosta and heuchera thrive there as well.
Be sure your chosen location has good drainage; one way of testing this is by digging up a small section of soil and watching how it drains away. Clay or sandy soil requires additional work in terms of tilling in organic matter or amendments for it to become suitable for growing plants.
If your flower garden will become an integral part of your landscape, consider including shrubs that provide structure and four-season interest. Azalea and lilac bloom repeatedly throughout the year while evergreen dwarf conifers or heuchera provide visual interest during winter when no blooming flowers exist. Experimenting with height and textures (from marigolds to canna lilies) is also rewarding. And plant blooms in succession so when one fades away another will take its place!
Select the Right Plants
Your flower garden depends on the plants you select – do your homework! Look for those that thrive in your USDA growing zone and weather conditions of your area, such as annuals and perennials that provide season-long color. Additionally, don’t overlook foliage as another source of texture even after blooms have faded!
Selecting plants for your new flower garden requires considering height. When creating an island-type bed, plant taller plants in the middle while shorter ones on either edge to add dimension while keeping taller plants from blocking views of shorter ones.
Note when selecting flowers that attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds: native plants offer more natural habitat than exotics for this purpose.
Start Small
Beginning your flower garden can be intimidating, so the best way to begin is to start small and gain confidence as you expand it over time. A sharp shovel should help clear away grass and weeds in your chosen section of garden.
Once the bed is clear, planting should begin. For optimal success, select flowers that naturally grow within your USDA hardiness zone; this will allow them to flourish without needing extra care from you.
Focus on planting both annual and perennial flowers to keep your garden flowering all season. This will also ensure that when one flower fades, another one is already starting to flower to fill its spot. Remember to remove dead blooms and any brown foliage regularly to maintain a neat appearance while encouraging plants to put more energy into their foliage and eventually bloom later this summer.