| A flower garden will bring you endless | | | | your favorite colors and favorite flowers. If |
| enjoyment. Not only is it a feast for the | | | | you know little about flowers, do some |
| eyes, but it can fill your yard with | | | | research in seed catalogs or online. When you |
| fragrance and butterflies. Your friends will | | | | find a flower that you like, search for the |
| admire you, and you will love to relax at | | | | answers to the questions below to determine |
| home while you relish your creation. | | | | if this particular flower will work in your |
| | | | garden. If not, move on! You will find |
| But if you create your garden haphazardly, | | | | another that you like just as well, if not |
| you'll be very disappointed. For example, if | | | | better. |
| you plant the lush, tall flowers on the edges | | | | |
| of a flower bed, they will hide the shorter | | | | Choosing Your Plants |
| ones within. If you plant a bulb in a shaded | | | | |
| area when it needs lots of sun, it will most | | | | Before you begin buying plants, you need to |
| likely die. | | | | determine how much you can spend on your |
| | | | garden. Work out a budget so that you don't |
| So, a successful flower garden requires | | | | over-spend. Then, consider the following |
| planning, but don't worry, that's part of the | | | | questions for each flower: |
| fun. The planning stage gives you the | | | | |
| opportunity to bring out your inner artist | | | | 1. How much does it cost, and will it fit |
| and problem solver. | | | | into your budget? 2. Does it grow in your |
| | | | zone? 3. What kind of soil does it need? |
| The Basic Design Elements | | | | 4. How much sun does it require? 5. Can it |
| | | | withstand wind? 6. Is it hardy, or |
| Your design doesn't have to be intricate. A | | | | does it require special care? If so, do you |
| basic layout is all you need to determine | | | | have the time to provide this special care? |
| what you will plant in each flower bed. In | | | | 7. How tall does it grow, and will you be |
| doing so, you will make decisions about the | | | | able to accommodate its height? 8. How long |
| color and height of each flower, so that you | | | | does it take to achieve a flowering plant? |
| choose not just the color palette of your | | | | 9. Is it an annual or a perennial, and when |
| garden, but the vertical and horizontal | | | | does it flower? |
| dimensions as well. | | | | |
| | | | Take a look at photos of flower gardens to |
| First, look at each area of your yard to | | | | get ideas, and think about how many flowers |
| determine the amount of sun and wind it tends | | | | you want. You may decide to frame a |
| to receive. In the areas of most sun, you | | | | particular flower with greenery or separate |
| will choose flowers that love the sun, | | | | two types of flowers with a non-flowering |
| leaving flowers that prefer shade to the | | | | plant. This is what florists do when they |
| other areas of the yard. | | | | arrange flowers in a vase or basket. They |
| | | | surround the blossoms with greenery almost |
| The type of soil you have is another | | | | like the matting of a picture on the wall. |
| consideration. You will probably need to get | | | | |
| it tested in order to know what plants will | | | | Don't forget flowering trees and shrubs. |
| work for you or whether you need to add other | | | | These add special interest in your yard, as |
| elements to the soil in order to grow your | | | | they give you different vertical heights and |
| preferred flowers. | | | | horizontal widths. Bear in mind that they |
| | | | tend to take longer to achieve the flowering |
| You can start by making a simple drawing of | | | | stage, but it may well be worth the wait. A |
| your yard and where you would like to plant | | | | flower garden is not created in one year's |
| your flowers. Again, note the amount of sun | | | | time. This is a long process that you will |
| and wind each area receives, and the size of | | | | always be tending, so you need to enjoy the |
| each area. Next, you might make a list of | | | | process as much as the result. |