Different Types of Flower Gardens

When planning a flower garden, it's best to know when different plants bloom so you have color throughout the growing season. For example, in New England crocuses are one of the first perennials to appear in early spring. Azaleas follow, blooming in May. Most perennials are blooming by early June. By mid-July, day lilies and phlox are blooming. However, by late August, annuals give the most color as many perennials start to look tired. That's why many gardeners have a combination of perennials and annuals in their beds.

Annual Flower Gardens

Annual flower gardens are in bloom for a year or less. Also called seasonal flowering plants, annuals are excellent for adding color to a garden and for bouquets. Annuals are usually grown by using seeds. Although they die within a year, they produce more seeds per plant than perennials. An advantage of planting annuals is that it lets you change your garden's layout after a year. Popular annuals include poppies, asters, basil, marigolds, cosmos and petunias.

Biennial Flower Gardens

Biennial flower gardens are made up of flowers lasting two years from seed to fruition. These flowers are seasonal plants that only flower the second year of their lives. Once they've bloomed, they can become untidy before dying. Gardeners need to plant seeds each year for continual blooms each growing season. Biennial flowers include foxgloves, evening primroses, forget-me-nots, echiums and sweet Williams.

Perennial Flower Gardens

Perennial flower gardens contain plants that continue growing and flowering longer than a year, surviving cold winters. Most perennials take two years to bloom. Typically, perennials do better in soils that are somewhat acidic, with pH levels of 6.0 to 7.0, according to the Gorge Top Gardens website. Perennials need six to eight hours of daily sunlight, and water should be applied to the soil directly. To prevent leaf diseases and promote rooting, watering should be deep. Perennials include water lilies, gerberas, bleeding hearts and geraniums.

Bulbs

Bulbous flowers are easy to grow and have a stem structure that stays underground. While roots grow down from the structure, leaves grow up. With most bulbs there's a resting period of no visible growth. Leaves remain for some time after the plant blooms before disappearing until the next year. Bulbous flowers include lilies, tulips and hyacinths.

Tubers

Tubers have an underground structure similar to bulbs. Unlike bulbs, however, these plants aren't able to stay in the ground in winter and need to be removed and stored. In spring, they're replanted. Common tubers include gladioluses, dahlias and begonias.

References

• Types of Plants
• Flower Garden
• Gorge Top Gardens

Resources

• Tips for Planting Flowers
• Sequence of Bloom--Bob Vila