Gardening is an enjoyable way to connect with nature. But before beginning any work on your new beds, be sure to learn what factors should be considered when putting together your garden plans.
Choose a site with at least six hours of sunlight each day for blooming plants, and assess their maintenance needs in terms of grouping together plants that share similar needs.
Design
Before planting a flower garden, carefully consider its overall design. If starting from scratch, create a sketch of each bed highlighting where sunlight comes in from different directions, how much space there is available, as well as any special requirements (such as shade or deer resistance) which may be important.
Once the area has been cleaned and cleared of weeds and debris, add compost or organic matter to enhance soil quality and promote flower growth. This will ensure they thrive.
Experienced flower garden designers rely on plants with staggered bloom times so that, as summer flowers fade and fall arrives, new bursts of color are yet to come. Incorporating perennials for year-round hue, shrubs for structure and evergreen interest and fillers such as sedum or ornamental grasses for additional texture and hue, are all used by experienced designers in creating stunning gardens.
As a beginner, look for flowers known for being easy to grow and maintain such as catmint, aster, chrysanthemums and impatiens. To prevent overcrowding of your garden beds, plant in odd numbers of three, five, seven or more.
Soil
Soil is essential in cultivating a stunning flower garden. Most blooms thrive best in loose, well-draining soil that’s rich and nutrient-rich; avoid sandy, clay or rocky soils which block water and oxygen from reaching their root zones, which leads to poor bloom development and poor growth.
Your plantings for beauty, cut flowers or pollinators all need the same essential elements: find an area that gets 6-8 hours of sun daily; some flowers such as hydrangeas and succulents thrive with morning sun and afternoon shade, while dazzling sunflowers need full sunlight all day long.
Once again, layer up with nutrient-rich and well-draining sandy loam soil containing no large rocks or plant debris, which is available at many garden centers and hardware stores. You could also make your own mix by mixing topsoil with well-rotted manure and compost; an ideal texture should have crumbly clumps rather than solid blocks.
Planting
Installing a garden of flowers in your outdoor space is immensely satisfying and fulfilling in so many ways. From window boxes and porch containers, to flower beds situated alongside houses, starting a flower garden takes plenty of preparation, planning and time – with proper soil preparation being the cornerstone for success.
Before you begin digging, familiarize yourself with your USDA growing zone to avoid choosing plants that won’t thrive in your location. Also, if you plan to grow flowers for cutting purposes, learn which varieties have longer vase lives.
As you create beds, consider mixing heights and colors for added visual interest. Consider planting flowers with staggered bloom times so your garden remains colorful throughout the seasons. Add four-season appeal by including shrubs with fruiting stems, foliage colors, twisty shapes or twisty branches that provide structure in your landscape design; finally incorporate wildflowers for meadow-like qualities that attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds alike.
Care
An aesthetic flower garden adds color, fragrance, and beauty to any landscape. A rewarding project that takes minimal effort for an ever-evolving display. If you are new to gardening, begin small and gradually expand as experience builds up.
Step one in creating your flower garden is clearing away space where it should go. Pay particular attention to how much sunlight reaches this area each day as this will significantly impact what flowers you can plant here; full-sun plants could burn quickly in a shade garden bed while shade-loving perennials thrive under harsher light conditions.
Acquaint yourself with your USDA growing zone to understand which plants will flourish in your region, as well as its first and last frost dates when planning a garden. Furthermore, familiarizing yourself with flowering times of each plant you plan on planting will enable you to create an effective planting schedule for blooming flowers that ensure their success throughout the season.