Starting a flower garden is one of the most rewarding garden activities you can do. Whether it’s in the form of a window box a raised bed or a whole new garden area flower gardening adds vibrant color and beauty to any landscape. Before you plant anything, however, you need to prepare the soil. This is where the “make your bed” saying comes in handy its important to do this well to ensure success.
Walk around your yard and decide on the best spot for your new flower garden. Make sure the area gets plenty of sunlight, as this is key to successful blooming. If there are any plants already growing in the location, decide if they will stay or go. If they are too low-growing and will be hidden behind the flowers, they may be better suited for another location in your yard.
Once you have a good spot picked out, observe the sun’s movement throughout the day to determine how much sunlight the area receives. A full-sun location is ideal, but if your yard only receives partial sunlight, you can still create a flower garden as long as you choose shade-loving species.
The next step is to remove any existing grass from the site of your future flower garden. This can be a tedious job, but it is necessary to give your new garden the right foundation. It’s also a great opportunity to improve the quality of your soil as it will be amended with organic matter, such as manure or compost.
After the grass has been removed, prepare the soil for planting by mixing in organic material. This will help to prevent clumping and promote good drainage. Mixing in ingredients such as mulch, compost, sand and volcanic rock like perlite or vermiculite can help your soil retain moisture.
While planning a flower garden, it’s helpful to think of the color scheme you want. Then, when it’s time to plant, work with groups of plants that have similar colors. This will make your garden look more organized and unified.
It’s also a good idea to think of the shape of the flowers when you’re designing your garden. World-renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf suggests using perennial flower shapes such as spires, plumes, daisies and buttons, which can add interest to your flower garden.
Once your garden has been planted, keep in mind that the flowers will need to be watered regularly to perform their best. It’s important to avoid overwatering, as this can cause the roots to rot and prevent them from taking in nutrients.
If you can, try to have a path winding through your flower garden as this will encourage people to explore it. A simple gravel path is a good option, but you can use natural stones to construct something more elaborate. Paths are a wonderful way to add personality to your flower garden, and they’re easy to install as well.
