Flower gardens bring beauty and color into any outdoor space, whether simple or complex. Experienced designers often incorporate annuals and perennials for season-long blooms and foliage.
Before beginning to plant a flower garden, familiarize yourself with your USDA growing zone and desired flowers. Clear an area for garden beds to be placed and prepare the soil as best you can.
Choose a Location
Location is of utmost importance when starting a flower garden, as the amount and intensity of sunlight available to a site can determine which plants thrive there. Soil type also plays an essential role; clay-like or sandy conditions likely won’t produce as many successful results for growing flowers there.
Before digging, be sure to locate all utility lines buried underground. Many communities offer help finding these lines by calling an appropriate number.
As well as testing your soil for testing purposes, it’s wise to run tests on it so as to assess how it will perform when planted. When it’s time for planting, improve it further with all-purpose balanced fertilizer and an organic layer. Avoid working wet soil too frequently as this harms its structure and makes it less suitable for roots. It is also wise to mix plants of differing heights in one bed; this creates a more natural, less formal look while taller flowers can provide shade for shorter plants which promotes their growth.
Prepare the Soil
Flowers thrive when their soil is rich and well-draining. Conducting a soil test will enable you to determine which amendments need to be added, including green manures like sage, phacelia and clovers that enrich soil with nitrogen; some flower plants such as nasturtiums provide dual function as both weed deterrents and shade cover.
Flower gardens can be an absolute treat for the senses, making an instant impactful statement about your home. Choose perennials and annuals to add year-round blooms; combine this with some shrubs for extra year-round color!
As you design a flower garden, take time to select colors that best reflect both your personal aesthetic and the landscaping style of your home. A contemporary-leaning garden may feature neatly defined flower beds while cottage gardens typically encourage mixing and matching plants. When planting the flowers themselves, also keep color combinations like purple and yellow in mind as this combination looks pleasing on their own as well.
Plant the Flowers
Once your site is cleared, add plenty of compost to prepare the soil for planting flowers and reduce work by providing nutrients necessary for their health and reducing work required for preparation of the soil.
Establish the type of flowers you would like to plant. Some species need full sun while others do better in shade. Familiarize yourself with your USDA growing zone as this will enable you to select appropriate plants for your climate and ensure they flourish.
Experienced flower garden designers create gardens with year-round blooms by selecting perennials, shrubs and annuals with different seasons in mind. Additionally, they select colors for added visual interest while choosing plants to attract pollinators such as native cleome, wild bergamot and bluets. When growing tall-growing flowers such as those using stakes or bamboo support structures may help keep their weight down over time and prevent falling over. Edging can protect these beds from being trampled by mowers.
Water
Flower gardens bring color, fragrance and pollinators into any landscape. A flower garden project can be rewarding but requires planning in order for blooming flowers.
As a starting point, it’s useful to be familiar with your growing zone and what flowers thrive in it. Additionally, Carol Bornstein recommends selecting native plants if you wish for your garden to become bee-, butterfly- and hummingbird-friendly habitat.
Prior to planting, prepare your soil by amending it with all-purpose balanced fertilizer and organic material. Work the top 6-8 inches where most plant roots reside. Avoid working overly moist soil as this damages its structure and makes it less conducive for plant growth; water deeply but infrequently to keep soil moist but not waterlogged. Add four-season flower garden shrubs with easy repeat blooming so you won’t need to prune every winter!