Flower gardens add vibrant hues and curb appeal to your yard, but before beginning planting there are several factors you need to keep in mind.
Choose plants that thrive in your local climate and environment – some prefer full sun exposure while others require shaded spots or can tolerate frost.
Choose Your Soil
Start off right when starting a flower garden from scratch by selecting an ideal location and improving the quality of soil by digging deep enough with a spade to reach spade depth, adding well-rotted manure or garden compost, and then raking over. This will give your new garden the best start possible!
Flowers typically thrive in loamy soil that features equal proportions of sand, clay and silt. Be sure to monitor its pH to assess how acidic or alkaline it is as different plants require different amounts of nutrients in their environment.
Be mindful of how much direct sunlight each spot receives on a daily basis as this will significantly impact which flowers can grow there. Also keep an eye out for frost dates to inform your planting schedule and opt for perennial plants for long season beauty and regular blooming patterns.
Select Your Plants
Flowers offer many choices when it comes to selecting blooms for a flower garden, from perennials and annuals alike, offering different heights, spreads and colors.
Step one in selecting plants is understanding their ideal conditions. All flowers require full sun (6 hours or more per day) and well-draining soil to thrive, regardless of type or species.
Pay particular attention to the foliage, as this will remain long after blooms have faded. Use shrubs with twisty shapes, colorful bark or winter interest for added depth of structure in your garden. Also try and choose native species as these will require less regular care or watering needs.
Plan Your Layout
Once you have selected the flowers you want to grow and established their suitability for your soil, it’s time to think about organizing their design. A cohesive garden requires planning a design – consider colors, height, texture and more when developing your plan; color plays an essential part in setting the atmosphere in a flower garden, so consider using complementary shades or contrasting hues when making decisions on hues for each row or flowerbed.
Be bold and delete anything that does not meet your standards. If it does not bloom reliably for you, let it go – Michelangelo only had so much ceiling space available at the Sistine Chapel!
Dig the Holes
No matter if it is seeds, seedlings or bulbs that you wish to grow, each will require its own hole for proper care and growth. Dig holes that are slightly larger than their respective root balls while loosening up soil to allow roots to spread out freely while taking advantage of nutrients efficiently absorbed from below.
Beginner gardeners often find sowing flower seeds the easiest and cheapest solution, as most seeds are easy to cultivate and can be planted after any risk of frost has subsided.
If you want to plant flowering plants that require lots of sun, locate an area in your yard with at least six hours of direct sunlight each day and consider how much shade there might be, since some flowers thrive best with full exposure while others need shade for optimal performance.
Water
Flower gardens add beauty and dimension to any landscape, drawing pollinators like bees. While starting your own garden from scratch may take work and dedication, the rewards can be immense as you watch its flowers bloom throughout the seasons.
Before planting seeds, take time to learn your climate zone and frost date, which will determine when you plant. Planting outside this zone could result in failure as plants might not survive or thrive properly in that particular climate zone.
Once your garden is established, a drip irrigation system will ensure your flowers and garden receive enough water without you having to drag a hose around your yard. Avoid shallow surface watering which discourages deep root development; rather deeply saturated the soil so that your flowers’ roots reach out for water even deep underground.