An effective flower garden requires selecting flowers with diverse needs, from drought-tolerant varieties near moisture-lovers to those that favor shade or sun conditions alike.
Plan ahead for continuous season-long color by including perennials with long bloom times as well as annuals that rebloom as other flowers fade.
Location
No matter whether you’re starting from scratch with your flower garden or replacing an existing lawn, the first step should always be finding a suitable location. While your ideal spot depends on its purpose and yard conditions, sunlight should always play an integral part of any successful garden design – walk your yard regularly during daylight hours and observe where the sun shines best; remembering to include shading areas while leaving others open to sunshine as the year progresses.
Also consider how easily you can get to your garden for trimming, fertilizing and other maintenance tasks; an unmanageable garden will quickly become unruly. Make sure the area is free of buried utility lines or any other potential obstacles which might prevent you from planting flower beds – for assistance call your local government’s free number to locate these lines if necessary.
Soil
Flowering plants require loamy, well-draining soil rich with organic material for maximum success. Before planting flowers in your garden, conduct a soil test and add compost or other organic matter as part of an amendment plan to improve it. It’s especially important that full sun plants don’t suffer when grown in poor quality soil.
Starting out, try starting with one focal flower such as a rose or dahlia, and complement it with filler flowers that offer texture and color, such as geraniums or nasturtiums. Finally, incorporate airy blooms like feverfew or cleome to soften the look of your garden.
Visit natural areas that mimic the conditions of your region to understand what will work best, taking note of which types of flowers grow well so you know which to search for when shopping for plants.
Water
Flower gardens bring an abundance of color to landscapes and home exteriors while providing essential pollinator habitats. You have several choices when it comes to cultivating perennial and annual blooming varieties for your garden – either perennials that bloom each year, or annuals blooming between summer and fall blooming times.
To ensure the optimal growth of your flowers, select an area which receives full sunlight throughout the day. Take time to observe how the sunlight falls on this area as well as whether any nearby trees or structures provide shade from where you stand.
Position your garden hose within reach for easy watering and be wary not to accidentally water blooms or buds directly as this could introduce diseases like powdery mildew which could ruin them.
If you’re replacing your lawn, remove all sod with a flat shovel before planting flowers. Sod acts as an obstruction between soil and plant roots; keep paths wide to avoid trampling delicate plants.
Sunlight
Flower gardens need ample sunlight. Landscape designer and author Beth Syphers suggests six to eight hours of direct sun for most varieties of blooming flowers; if this cannot be provided, consider growing perennial or annual varieties that bloom between early summer and fall or winter.
Flower shapes play an integral role in designing a garden, according to world-renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf. He suggests pairing different-shaped plants together for added visual interest and visual texture.
Once you have decided upon a location for your flower garden, gather the necessary supplies: gardening gloves, soil tiller and plant food are necessary; additionally it would be beneficial to invest in a soil tester to assess whether amending with nutrient-rich compost may be needed. Next create a diagram of your flower bed outlining suggested spacing guidelines for different kinds of blooms ensuring their plants can flourish without restricting growth.