Are you passionate about flowers? Starting a flower garden in spring can be an amazing project to take on this spring. But the soil preparation must be taken seriously for success; its quality and preparation should not be neglected!
Begin by clearing away grass without digging, covering the area with thick layers of newspaper, and allowing it to decompose before planting anything new. Next, amend the soil as necessary.
Location
Flower gardens bring color, dimension and pollinators such as bees and butterflies into any yard or landscape, increasing curb appeal while welcoming essential pollinators like bees and butterflies. With some planning and careful soil preparation, creating your own personal flower garden will bring pleasure throughout summer!
Choose a location where the garden beds will be visible often from inside your house or deck, as well as from nearby streets or yards. Take into consideration how they’ll look from a distance as well.
Verify the location is within your USDA growing zone to ensure plants flourish in your region. Also familiarizing yourself with first and last frost dates will assist when deciding what flowers to plant.
Select a site with at least six to eight hours of sunlight each day, as full-sun flowers require direct light while part-sun blooms may fade quickly in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. Furthermore, ensure that watering can easily reach this location via garden hose.
Soil
Soil provides plants with a home, providing water and nutrients necessary for healthy root development while helping protect them from unwanted visitors and some fungal diseases.
Prior to planting your flower garden, determine its purpose. Will it serve as a cutting garden where flowers can be harvested for bouquets, or would you rather opt for low maintenance native blooms that attract pollinators? Knowing why you want the garden will help narrow down its selection and determine what care will be needed over its lifespan.
Include shrubs in your flower garden to provide year-round structure and color. Easy-to-grow rose shrubs are a must, while other evergreen or colorful bark trees and shrubs such as evergreen oak trees or colorful bark trees and shrubs may add interest in frosty northern regions. When designing gardens, world-renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf recommends designing with shape in mind; tall spires, daisies or perennials that form spires can add height while bellflowers, bee balms or flowering perennials add color – using tall spires instead of flowers can add height while bellflowers, bee balms or other flowering perennials can add drifts of color into landscape designs designed around trees or buildings.
Sun/Shade
When selecting flowering plants, take note of their sunlight needs. Many annual flowers require six hours or more of direct sunlight every day in order to thrive; if choosing a spot with less direct sun than this requires, your selection may be reduced accordingly.
When purchasing plants, be sure to read their tags thoroughly and note any frost dates in your area to ensure that they will survive through winter. Furthermore, look out for any telltale signs that a plant doesn’t like its environment like sticky leaves or stunted growth as early warning signals that could signal problems in its care.
Mixing different heights, sizes, colors and shapes of flowers into your garden will add visual interest throughout the season. Don’t forget about foliage as an extension of this look! Additionally, native plants will help attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds for maximum bird-friendly enjoyment in your space.
Water
Soil is essential to a flower garden’s success. It provides nutrients, air and water to each plant’s nutrient blend and must match it specifically; thus it is crucial that you understand your soil type and adjust accordingly.
Watering early morning before sunrise is ideal, as most of your efforts will evaporate before being scorched by the heat of afternoon sun.
Be sure to include a range of plants, heights and colors in your flower gardens to achieve an organic aesthetic and minimize maintenance requirements. Repetition-capable shrubs such as easy-to-repeat flowering shrubs provide four-season interest and fill any empty spaces in garden beds. And don’t forget bee-friendly plants; watching bees drowsily gather nectar from colorful flowers on summer afternoon is one of the most rewarding gardening moments; these can usually be found at garden centers or hardware stores.