Thinking about planting a garden? There’s inspiration everywhere! From magazines to Pinterest pictures and even your neighbor’s front yard, checking out the gorgeous gardens around you can really help get the creative juices flowing.
When you’re ready to bring that inspiration to life, this blog post has you covered. Keep reading for all the flower gardening tips and tricks you’ll need for your DIY flower bed.
The best plants for flower beds
Plant options are endless when you’re starting up a flower bed, which can be both exciting and challenging. On the one hand, having an array of flowers to choose from means you’ll get exactly what you want. However, searching for the right plants can be overwhelming. Should you go with elegant hydrangeas or showy rhododendrons? What about the ever-popular mums?
You can narrow down your options by reading up on planting zones and growing conditions for flowers you like and then choosing ones that work best for your yard.
What flowers bloom all year?
Looking for blooms that provide longer color displays? Try these flowers:
Chrysanthemums or “mums” (zones 5-9): Sun-loving plants that require frequent watering.
Asters (zones 3-10): These plants crave cool, moist summer conditions and full sun exposure.
Geraniums (zones 9-11): They prefer a sunny location and soil that’s stocked with organic matter.
Best perennial flowers
The joy of planting perennials is having a staple look for your flower garden year after year. Some popular perennials that come back every growing season are:
Rhododendrons (zones 4-8): They grow best in slightly filtered sunlight and acidic soil.
Coneflowers (zones 5-8): Drought-tolerant plants that grow in a variety of soil conditions.
Hostas (zones 3-9): These plants can grow in low shade, and they require little maintenance.
Hydrangeas (zones 4-9): They need well-drained soil and regular watering.
Pansies (zones 6-11): These plants need partial shade, and they don’t grow well in summer’s heat.
Best annual flowers
Annuals bring a fresh look to flower gardens with every new growing season. For beautiful blooms that you can switch out every year, read about some popular annual flowers here.
How to arrange a flower bed
The trick to creating a vibrant and inviting flower bed is: planning. Read these flower bed tips before you get started.
Brainstorm color schemes, and decide on two or three garden colors. If you’re not quite sure what tones to choose, use a color wheel as a cheat sheet. Colors that are next to each other or across from each other work well together.
Think about height. Most flower gardens are tiered, with the tallest plants in the back and the shortest ones up front. Also, try this out: plant annuals in the front so they’re easier to remove and replace each new growing season.
Variety is your friend! Mix annuals with perennials and greenery with color.
How to group flowers in a bed
Designing a flower bed that’s aesthetically pleasing is all about the right groupings. Install your plants in groups of 3 or 5 –odd numbers create the best look! And, group flowers based on bloom times. If you use flowers that bloom during different seasons, no areas will lack color when a particular plant is done blooming for the year.
How to prepare and plant flowers
OK, you’ve got a vision, now bring it to life! To prep your flower garden:
Scope out a spot with the right amount of sun or shade for your plants
Pull up weeds or grass
Get the soil ready for planting (more on that below)
What to add to garden soil before planting
Planting flowers in good soil is an absolute must if you want them to thrive. But what exactly does “good” mean? The answer is in a soil test!
Soil tests tell you what nutrients are in the soil, the pH level, and the amount of organic matter. All that affects flower growth.
Test results will help you determine what amendments or nutrients are needed for the soil before starting a garden. For example, say you have your heart set on rhododendrons. They thrive in moist, well-drained, acidic soil (meaning, soil with a pH level under 7). A test will tell you whether or not your soil makes the cut before you spend the time and money planting the flowers. With a test, you’ll know what to add to your soil to get it to the right place.
are tiered, with the tallest plants in the back and the shortest ones up front. Also, try this out: plant annuals in the front so they're easier to remove and replace each new growing season.
The approach many people take is to cover the area under the tree with a load of loam, then try to grow perennials in that soil. Sometimes they build a circular or geometric raised bed around the trunk of the tree to put a full 8 to 12 inches of extra soil around the tree.
Generally, you want to organize your plants like you would a class photo or set of bleachers, with the taller ones behind the shorter ones. Or, if you're working on an island garden in the middle of your yard, the tallest plants should be in the center. Consider Bloom Times.
In general, plants in borders are arranged with tall plants (taller than 2 to 3 feet) placed in the back, mid-size plants (10 inches to 2 to 3 feet tall) in the middle, and short plants (less than 10 inches) in the front of the bed. It is best to use groupings or drifts of plants for a natural feel.
Keep mulch about 6 inches away from the base of the tree, and layer it no more than 2-3 inches thick. This will allow the roots to maintain good oxygen exchange with the soil. It will also prevent cracking along the bottom of the trunk, which can lead to insect, rodent, and disease problems.
Trees appreciate mulch around their base so they are not competing with other plants for air and water. Mulch also helps the soil around the tree to stay in place and keeps the soil temperature consistent. It cuts down on weeds and adds nutrients to the soil surrounding the tree as it breaks down.
If you're just starting to make flower beds, try to add some curves. Professional landscapers rarely lay down straight flower beds. Some straight sections you may not be able to get away from, but when possible go round or go home. If you already have straight beds, it's easy to add some curvature.
How deep you should dig a flower bed will ultimately depend on the types of flowers that will be planted. The minimum depth should be at least 6” as the majority of plants will need a depth of 6-12” deep. 12” is also a safe bet.
Determine the number of square inches a mature plant will cover by multiplying the number of inches of suggested spacing between plants by itself. 4. Divide the number of square inches in the plot by the number of square inches required for one plant. This result is the total number of plants needed for that plot.
Many popular landscape edging ideas use brick. Brick edging can provide a sophisticated dividing line between your lawn and flower beds. Clay edgers provide a wide range of colors and sizes that can be matched in dimension and color. Select multiple shades, shapes and sizes to make an eye-appealing pattern.
To attract pollinators to your garden, select flowers and herbs with yellow, red, orange or blue petals and a fresh, mild and flowery sweet scent. Some popular pollinator favorites are zinnias, lantana, bee balm and both annual and perennial sunflowers.
Rubber edging works well next to driveways, sidewalks, planting beds or around trees. Some types have flat construction that is designed to prevent weeds and unwanted growth. Rubber is often considered the best lawn edging for underneath fences and around flower beds.
Roots begin to die, starting the tree on a long slow decline and, eventually, death. In the best of all worlds, a tree owner will never put a raised bed around their tree. If you've already done this, taking away the raised bed and the excess soil are the next best things to do.
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Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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