Everyone loves sitting out on their deck or patio and seeing the beauty of an organic flower garden. The colors, the scents and the visitors (butterflies, etc.) they bring add hours of joy to any day. Here are ten simple tips for successfully designing your flower garden.
1. What’s your style? Should your garden match your home’s design or your personal style? If you’re matching it to your home’s design, traditional homes may look best with a cottage-style garden, full of bright colors, planted in a mix-and-match, free-form style. If you have a contemporary home, flower bed shape and color selection is much more important.
2. Shape, size, and where it draws the eyes are other important considerations. How much space do you have available for your flower garden, etc.? This is a fun part of the process! Take a garden hose and “sketch” out shapes to see what you like the most. If you’re going for a larger garden, you may need to include a path so you can tend to the plants in the center. Pro tip? Don’t overdo it! Start small and expand. Consider where your eyes are drawn when you first look at your garden. This focal point could be a flowering shrub or a large patch of one type of flower in the middle of the garden. It could also be specially-chosen plants at the corners of the beds.
3. Do your homework! Now that you have a general idea of bed size, etc., learn about the different flowers you can plant. There are short-lived annuals, long-lived perennials, vines, ornamental grasses and seasonal bulbs. You need to know each plant’s needs in terms of light and space, as well as what colors and scents you’ll be getting.
4.How does your garden grow? Ideally, you’ll have a garden that provides joy in every season. Plants with staggered bloom times are the way to go. Another key point is choosing different plant types. A good plan could include : spring-blooming shrubs (that also provide structural beauty in winter), summertime perennials and bulbs that bloom in the fall.
5. Height matters. Where you plant the tallest plants in your garden depends on your garden shape & location. If you’re flower garden is an oasis in your landscape, plant the tallest plants in the center. However, if your garden borders your home, plant the tallest plants in the back. Bear in mind that they shouldn’t block windows or doors! Remember: some shorter plants may not grow so well if shaded by their taller neighbors.
6.Pay attention to color and texture. We suggest finding a color wheel to help. If you plant in shades of the same color, such as purple, you’ll have a visually pleasing garden. Likewise, colors across from each other on the wheel like yellow and purple, work well together. The same is true for colors next to each other on the wheel, such as red and purple. Pay close attention to the texture of the plants’ foliage. Unique textures make for visually striking gardens, even after the flowers have faded.
7. Be a little odd – in numbers, at least. A good rule is planting three or any other odd number of the same type of plant (varying colors) either spaced apart or next to each other. It’s a designer’s trick that results in a more visually appealing garden.
8. Prepare the space and hit the store! While the research is fun, the shopping is even more fun! There’s still a bit of work to be done before you shop, though. Get the area ready by getting rid of old plants, including grass, and installing some edging like pavers or stones. Once that’s done… Go shopping!
9. Proper planting. Follow the directions that come with each plant and plant them where they belong in your design. All newly-planted flowers need some extra help until they’re established. Apply at least an inch of organic mulch after watering them well. The mulch helps keep in moisture and cut down on water use. Your flower garden should get around an inch of water per week, whether that’s from Mother Nature or your garden hose, or both.
10. Add some solid elements. Add trellises, arbors and pergolas, all of which are great design elements. Arbors with climbing vines or roses also add a touch of natural privacy to areas of your garden.
Enjoy creating your gardens!
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My wife and I are thinking about putting a garden in the backyard but aren’t sure where to start. I like that you suggest starting small and expanding the design as you design the layout. We want to make sure we can fit the essentials, so we’ll have to start small and add more once we know we have space. Thanks for the helpful tips!
That is exciting! Thank you for visiting our blog, we are glad to hear that you found some of these tips useful. Let us know how your garden grows.
So my daughter has been bugging me about helping her put up a simple flower garden .She’s 10 and doesn’t look like she’s about to stop .Since you have adviced to start small ,I was thinking of starting out on a wheelbarrow just to see the progress.
A gorilla cart with 4pneumatic wheels ,1600lb load ability ,4 wheel stability with a pull handle won’t be that bad .
I would have gone for a Jackson but I prefer the Gorilla carts because of the stability aspect and the poly material that will be more easy to drill holes than the steel One wheel Jackson .I wouldn’t also take the marathon nor the three tire wheelzbarrow because of the steel aspect .They may or may not affect the mineral component of the soil when it starts to give in to corrosion .
I would still like you to suggest one or two kinds of wheelbarrows that we can start with .
Thank you so much for the article ,its actuallynheloed me see that its not a tough job and its worth doing it for my baby girl .??
Wow, what a fantastic garden, Thanks for giving the tips for designing your flower garden.
I like your suggestion to add some elements to the garden that are more solid, such as trellises or pergolas. In my opinion, adding a birdbath to an outdoor garden would also be a good way to incorporate variety and create a charming atmosphere. Thanks for sharing these tips I can use when I start shopping for decor for my new garden!
Hi Rebecca! We love the idea of adding a birdbath! They add so much character and beauty to the garden. We hope you have a great garden season!
Thanks For These Tip Love It,
You make an interesting point that the size and shapes of the flowers play a role in designing a beautiful landscape. My wife got into gardening recently and is planning to plant more flowers. I will share with her this article.
Hi, Kristofer!
Flowers play a role in designing a beautiful landscape! We are glad that your wife has gotten into gardening! We wish you the best. Good luck and happy gardening!
I’ve been wanting to add a few changes in my garden; that’s why I’m also considering of decorating it with whimsical decors. I’m glad you shared these flower garden tips by the way; I’ll make sure to leave enough space for my flowers’ focal point. I’d also keep in mind to purchase vines and ornamental grasses since you’ve stated that they live longer.
Hi Rachel, we are so pleased you found this article helpful. Here is a post on ornamental grasses if you need some ideas and connect with us on social media we would love to see how your design turns out. https://www.kellogggarden.com/blog/gardening/5-tall-grass-varieties/