How to Design Flower Bed Landscapes

Fill the flower beds with a wide range of blooms.

Flower beds filled with a wide range of flowers for every season create a vibrant, constantly evolving landscape. With a little research and planning, you will know exactly what to plant, saving money and time.

Things You'll Need

• Soil test kit
• Paper
• Pen
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Use a soil test kit to determine the composition of your soil. Observe the flower bed site to calculate the amount of sunlight the space receives. This will aid you in determining the flowers best able to grow in your soil conditions and light.

2. Measure the site of your proposed flower bed. Draw a diagram and include these measurements. Sketch in the flowers you are considering according to height and spacing requirements. Place the taller varieties in the back, the medium-sized flowers in the center and use smaller flowers for the front and borders. Rearrange as necessary according to color.

3. Make a sketch for each season. Indicate which flowers will be blooming during those times. This will enable you to further narrow down your choices and revise them, as necessary.

4. Choose winter-blooming flowers to ensure color in the flower bed, if appropriate for your location. Otherwise, consider adding plants and shrubs such as hellebore and evergreens to add winter color.

5. Add spring-blooming bulbs like crocus to supply color after winter's dormant season. Sketch them in around the flower bed to create a full effect.

6. Plan annual flowers in the flower bed to help fill in bare areas and hard-to-reach spaces in the garden. Consider drought-tolerant annuals like zinnias and cosmos for a low-maintenance, colorful flower bed.

References

• North Carolina State University Extension: Drought Tolerant Annuals
• University of Illinois Extension: Spring Flowering Bulbs