People often imagine flower gardens in terms of rows of tulips or beds of rose bushes; however, there are other possibilities available to anyone interested in cultivating cut flowers.
When planning a flower garden, pay special attention to color, size and fragrance. Incorporating foliage can add year-round interest while filling gaps between rows.
Decide Where You Want Your Garden
Flower gardens bring color, fragrance, and beauty into any home landscape while increasing its value – figures show that a properly maintained landscaping project can even bring returns of up to 1,000% on investment!
Begin by determining your ideal flower garden appearance and purpose – is it going to serve as a cutting garden with freshly-cut blooms, or is it more of an attractor garden meant to draw pollinators in? Once decided upon, select a location and design its layout.
Make sure the location you select meets all of your garden’s criteria, including full sunlight and proximity to water sources. Even if soil quality is poor, that shouldn’t be an impediment – simply till in some amendments for better results!
Consider designing your garden to provide both height and color by repeating specific shapes or colors, such as planting tall lilies at the back, mid-sized perennials in the middle, and small florets up front – this creates an aesthetically pleasing, balanced arrangement that is easy to maintain.
Prepare the Soil
Seed catalogs provide an incredible variety of colors, heights, shapes and fragrances – choosing which flowers would work best in your garden depends on multiple factors, including sun and soil conditions.
Most flowering annuals and perennials prefer full sun exposure, though some thrive under part-sun or shade conditions. Loam soil combines clay, sand, and organic matter; its ideal properties include drainage, air to roots, moisture retention, slow drying out rate and crumble easily when squeezed between your fingers.
When starting from scratch with a new garden, remove grass and prepare the soil accordingly. If there’s sod covering your plot, use a shovel to cut up and discard. Work the soil to break up large clods, add compost, and conduct a soil test; however, do not disturb when wet as this increases compaction making planting difficult.
Select Your Plants
After you have determined the optimal location and prepared the soil, the next step in creating your flower garden should be selecting plants. A sketch should help plan out its layout beforehand.
Consider each plant’s full height and mature size when making your selections, to ensure they will be planted appropriately. Also aim for a mix of blooming times and textures so your garden remains interesting throughout the season – don’t forget those winter-interest plants like berries, seed heads and evergreen foliage!
For maximum pollinator attraction, plant some perennials suited to your region that provide nectar and host plants for local butterfly and caterpillar species. You’ll then enjoy an impressive garden from spring until frost.
Create the Bed
Building a flower garden can be an enjoyable and satisfying project that suits any level of expertise or imagination. Accurate measurements and planning help achieve an aesthetically pleasing design, so your blooms can reach their maximum potential.
Starting out on the right foot requires clearing away weeds, grass and any unwanted plants from your proposed garden site. This step is especially vital if you opt for no dig gardening.
At this stage, assess both sun exposure and soil conditions. Keep in mind that different plant species have differing light and soil requirements, such as those needing full sunlight dying quickly in a shaded garden. A helpful chart could show the amount of sunshine an area receives daily so you can select suitable plants for your specific site – saving both time and money in the process!