Flower Garden Ideas

When looking for flower garden ideas, consider the colors and scents that revitalize you. Keep the design simple and easy to maintain, and make it personal.

With so many ideas to choose from, you can find just the flowers and plants that are most rewarding for you.

Types of Flower Gardens

There are many kinds of flower gardens. A few of the most popular are rose gardens, butterfly gardens, and gardens with specific color schemes.

Some gardens are based on seasonal plantings, as with spring bulb gardens or fall gardens planted specifically for seasonal colors. Your garden can include annuals, perennials, bulbs, shrubs and vines.

Perennials are the backbone of the flower garden, as they come back year after year. Annuals can be changed out each new season, adding different pops of color and filling in bare spots. Bulbs add seasonal color and spread year to year.

And shrubs or hedges work as backdrops or focal points to the flower beds. Add some vining plants on trellises or stakes to give height to the garden and it becomes visually appealing.

Select an Area and Make a Plan

It's easy and tempting to just go into the yard and start digging holes, and many gardeners start out just that way. Eventually we learn, through trial and error, that a little planning goes a long way.

If you take a little time to become familiar with your garden area, you'll be more satisfied with the end result. Check the amount and intensity of the sun the area receives.

Look at the soil and identify if it's heavy clay or sandy. Check the drainage after a rainfall. You may need to add soil amendments to provide proper drainage or absorption of water.

When trying to decide if you want scattered beds throughout the yard or a massive cluster of plantings, don't limit your options. Consider different combinations, then decide which colors and scents you like or select a color scheme to work with. Drawing up a plan on paper lets you play with ideas before you start digging in.

Pick an Assortment of Plants

Once you're ready to go out and shop for flowers, consider various sizes of full grown plants. Based on your location and types of plants you want, choose annuals, perennials, shrubs and vining plants that work in your location. And don't forget ground covers for that final layer to pull it all together.

A combination of different types, sizes and textures will give you an aesthetically pleasing garden. Be careful not to overplant in an attempt to fill the area immediately. Plants grow quickly and will fill in faster than you can imagine.

Plant in Groups

When planting perennial plants, cluster a group of three to five plants together. Single plantings can get lost in a sea of color, unless they are very large and can make an impact alone.

Leave room for growth and fill in bare spots with some annuals. Repeat the cluster of perennials in different areas of the garden to keep a flow of color.

Add some Decorative Elements

Your flower garden ideas should also include elements other than plants. A bench to sit and relax or a fountain nestled between flowers make the garden welcoming.

Don't forget bird baths and bird houses for our feathered friends, stepping stones and statuary round out the décor.

Enjoy the process of designing and playing with your flower garden ideas. Select elements you love and will enjoy. Create an area where you can spend time with nature and refresh your soul.

More Flower Garden Ideas

Hanging Flower Baskets
Hanging flower baskets provide vertical interest in a traditional garden, add a spot of greenery to porches and create gardening spaces to balconies.

Planting Bulbs
Planting hardy and tender bulbs is done in exactly the same way, but at different times of the year.

Planting Flowers
The colors, scents and varieties of flowers that can be grown in a home garden are endless. Gardeners select flowers based on their own individual desires, whether a specific color scheme, fragrance, type or usage.

Planting Tulips
Gardeners around the world have loved tulips for centuries. Their presence in the garden informs us that winter has passed and spring has indeed sprung. There are many varieties of tulips with various shapes, colors, sizes and bloom times. Select varieties with different bloom times to extend the season.