Prep the soil properly when starting or expanding an existing flower garden with well-rotted manure or garden compost to prepare the surface before raking and planting your blooms.
Acquaint yourself with your USDA growing zone, and select plants appropriate to the climate in which you reside. Also consider whether or not you want your garden to focus on cut flowers or pollinators attraction.
Choose the Right Site
Flower gardens can add beauty and attract pollinators to any home’s landscape, yet managing a successful one requires planning, knowledge of flower growing requirements, and patience if you are new to gardening. However, curating such an oasis can be daunting for first time gardeners!
First step to creating the ideal flower garden is selecting an appropriate location. Be mindful that certain flowers need six hours of full sun per day; roses do better in partial shade.
Begin by clearing away weeds and grass from the area you plan to plant flowers in. This will reduce competition for nutrients and water from other plants you’re planting, and ultimately purchase and complete a soil test – the results of which will reveal its nutrient levels as well as any pH adjustments necessary for your flower garden.
Select the Right Plants
Gardeners dream of the thrill and fulfillment that come from digging their hands into the soil, but before getting started there is much to consider.
Establish your desired flowers and why. Some blooms, like Verbena bonariensis and Heuchera, provide structure for a garden while others add pops of colour such as foxgloves and hardy geraniums.
To create an ideal garden, it’s essential that the plants you choose thrive under your local conditions. Pay special attention to sun/shade requirements as well as soil tests to identify any needed amending or nutrients for your flower bed. A combination of perennials, annuals, shrubs and bee-attractant flowers will add year-round interest. Plus bees & butterflies love these kinds of gardens!
Create a Plan
Consider not only your growing conditions but also how you want the garden to appear – this gives you the chance to design it according to your own individuality and style!
Piet Oudolf, an esteemed Dutch garden designer, advises starting with shape. Selecting flowers that work together cohesively helps maintain coherence and harmony in a garden design scheme.
As part of your selection process, also keep blooming times in mind. Combine perennials with multiple flowering periods with annuals that bloom up until fall; this way as certain plants wilt, new pops of color will still keep your garden looking full and lush.
If you are planting in an area covered with sod, remove it prior to creating your bed. A standard shovel works great for this job.
Prepare the Soil
Flower gardens need quality soil in order to thrive, whether starting from scratch or upgrading an existing bed. A shovel and dirt rake are indispensable tools when starting from scratch or upgrading an existing bed; use them both to clear away turf while loosening up soil layers.
Garden designers can assist in selecting flowers that will work best in your space, taking into account sun/water requirements, bloom time and height requirements. Perennials serve as a strong base while annuals and shrubs add seasonal color.
Attention must be paid to your soil type; some flowers prefer loamy, well-draining earth while others flourish in sandy, silty or clay-like dirt. A soil test will help you determine the most effective amendments for your specific site and erosion proneness as well as windyness of location.
Planting
Flower gardens add beauty and delight to outdoor living spaces, and can also be an enjoyable project. Building the ideal garden takes time, so experimenting with various styles is the key to discovering which fits best with your yard and taste.
Choose an array of blooms and textures to provide year-round interest. Arrange flowers according to their sun/water requirements in order to keep them healthy; don’t forget foliage plants which provide interest even after flowers have faded!
After frost risk has passed, the ideal time and place to plant a new flower garden is by prepping its site by spreading out well-rotted manure or compost to at least spade depth and pulling any weeds as you go.