One way to keep a beautiful home is to plant a garden. This I say with all confidence, and I know you being here means you are already considering how to make a flower garden. But then, you have no idea how to begin, which is why I’m here to walk you through the basics of building a flower garden.
The secret to making a flower garden is, well, were you expecting one? You should know by now that it begins with the desire to start one, and even though you can’t guarantee that interest lasting you for long, it is enough to get you started.
Making a patio flower garden from scratch is fun at first and rewarding. Trust me, if you are an uptight person, loosening the soil will get you loosened up. For me, it is usually a learning experience, knowing that I can bury a seed or stem in the soil and watch it bud into something beautiful. The joy is indescribable; I know you’d understand better when you begin.
Now let’s get back to making a flower garden. To build your flower garden from scratch, you need to understand that there are times to prepare your yard for the elegant beauty, but the best time is NOW, as waiting for a perfect time may discourage you.
The next thing you need to do before making a flower garden is to identify a perfect spot for the garden. Keep in mind that flowers are living things too, so they need enough sunlight and water as much as you need good food.
This is what keeps them healthy. So while trying to pick a perfect spot for your flower garden, keep in mind that it has to be somewhere with less shade and more sunlight.
However, if you don’t have much space for a big garden, don’t fret. There are several hacks to making a beautiful flower garden out of little space. Keep reading until you find a tip that works perfectly for your space.
So, I’m going to discuss how to make a flower garden with enough space and little or no space though some of the tips I’d share work the same way for a big space as with a small space.
How to make a flower garden – Things to consider
-
Weigh your Options
you have the options to choose between raising a vegetable garden (yes, some vegetables look really attractive, so they serve a dual function of beautifying your house and feeding your home, that is, they look great in the garden and taste better on the dining) or a flower garden.
You may choose a flower garden for the flair, fragrance, and beauty it adds to the home, but you may have to choose between annuals or perennials. Whatever you want, keep in mind that they have different maintenance requirements.
-
Pick a location
it is essential to note that location is everything, so choose a spot where you can’t miss out on the beauty of your garden. This will always remind you of why you started in the first place and keep you motivated as you go.
Choose a spot with enough sunlight regardless of the size of your garden (it is a raised bed garden, new flower beds, a container, or a window box)t. The sunlight level determines the blooms in your garden; never forget that.
Also, consider the watering options while choosing your garden spot. Remember, you will have to water your plants, so ask yourself if it will be easier to connect a hose to your garden or carry the water to your garden as often as needed.
-
Prepare the soil
The next step to building your garden is to prepare the flower beds by clearing the soil of weeds and grasses — Tilling, and sometimes, making designs around the garden spot. In short, work out the soil effectively in readiness for a new planting season.
-
Examine the soil
Fertile soil equals better growth. For this reason, you will have to determine the soil quality you intend to plant on. Is it too acidic or alkaline? Swampy or rocky, poor or infertile? The earlier you get to know this, the better it is to work around improving soil quality.
It often requires a simple solution of adding organic matter and mixing it with the soil. It could be composted, dry leaves and twigs, old manure, or freshly cut grasses you allow to decompose. Whatever you choose, ensure the soil favors what you intend to plant. Other times, you may need to transfer soil into your garden site.
-
Choose your plants
you own your garden, so you should know the kind of plant you want to grow on it. Usually, I’d recommend you choose between annuals, perennials, or even vegetables.
In case you don’t know your flowers, some annual flowers are Geranium, Sunflower, Marigold, Zinnias, Petunias, Calendula, and so on; while perennial flowers can produce Daylilies, Pansies, Foxglove, and vegetables can be Kale, Cabbage, Tomatoes, strawberries or any other choice.
- When choosing your plants, you need to consider the height and color of the plants you intend to use. I’d suggest you keep your choice simple by starting with a few colors, and probably as you go, you can begin to combine other plants to spruce up the garden’s beauty. A three-color garden is usually recommended for starters, like a blend of orange, pink and yellow, you know, the monochrome sort.
A must-read: Best extra large outdoor planter
If you are short of garden space and considering a container garden, then the thriller, spiller, and filler formula is a perfect idea. Thrillers are tall varieties and give a vertical feel to the combination. Thrillers are usually placed at the back or middle of the floral arrangements.
Some thriller plants you can consider are Graceful graces, Angelonia, purple fountain grass, and others you can find around, while the Petunia, Euphorbia, Bellingrath pink, or Superbells are fillers you should likely consider to give your container a fuller view because they are more rounded and can easily fill up spaces.
As you may know, spillers are more of trailing plants and usually hang around edges, so you should try planting any of the Margarita, Snowstorm, sweet potato vines, or the Evolvulus close to the edge.
Planting or transplanting:
if you are growing from seeds or transplanting from a previous garden to your new site, you need to choose the right time to do this. It is often advised that you transplant in the evening or early in the morning when the weather is cooler because it is not ideal to stress your new plants, which is what planting under a high temperature does.
You should know by now that your garden must be watered a day before you plant and water as soon as you’ve planted your flowers and as often as it is needed until the roots of the plant are firm and well-adjusted to its new home.
You should try to learn about your plant’s language. If you notice any wilting, take the necessary step to get the plant better. While noonday wilting is normal for most plants, wilting in the evening or under a cooler temperature means it is drought-stressed. Most plants don’t fully recover from stress, so you have to keep watch.
While some plants are water-loving (Daylily, Monkeyflower, Iris, Lily of the valley, Blue-vervain), others such as Lavender, Cardoon, Moss rose, and foxtail lilies can survive with little water.
So you may have to consider drainage for some perennials and constant watering for the hydrophilic ones. These are the major tips on making a flower garden, but it would be unfair if I didn’t share these additional tips with you.
You are a beginner, and I often advise that you don’t rush the adventure. So it is very good to start small, test the waters first, and get a few gardening basics with a small start before plunging deeper into gardening.
I also need to remind you to keep it simple. Never underestimate the beauty in simplicity. I’d rather you start with low-maintenance plants (which are the best for starters) since you are just getting your feet wet in the garden waters.
Try out low-water annuals and perennials too; they require little work and will keep your garden looking good all year round until you can finally decide that gardening is indeed a pleasure for you.
In addition to all these, water your plants at all times, don’t keep them dehydrated for long. And you need to protect your garden from weeds. Practice frequent mulching to keep your garden soil moistened and cool. You can do this using chipped barks, dry leaves, trimmed grasses, and compost. These also help in improving soil quality.
You can’t leave your garden to grow out of control, so you should plan a scheduled time for trimming and pruning your garden to keep the beauty intact. And remember to keep up the good work. If you try it and it works out, expand your garden and grow more flowers.
