We had a late start to this year’s growing season because of a winter that wouldn’t quit, but nice weather is finally here.  So grab your gloves and shovel, because it’s time to bring some life to your yard!

1. Building a Flower Bed

The first step to creating a successful garden is building an effective and nutrient efficient flower bed. You are going to want to set up your flower bed where the flowers are most likely to grow. This means where there is sufficient light and where the soil is right for the flowers.

The soil shouldn’t be too dry or too wet, it should be slightly moist. Before planting the flowers you should level out the flower bed so that everything is fairly even. When you do this make sure the soil is loose and not packed together, this allows the flowers’ roots to more easily grow.

Next it’s time to prep your soil with herbicide for 2-3 days.  This will to help prevent weeds. You can also add compost to help enrich the soil and make it easier to plant.  It is also smart to line your garden with stones or edging to keep the soil from spilling into your lawn.

Once the soil is ready for planting and you have determined your layout you can start creating your beautiful garden bed!

Understanding Annual vs. Perennial

Annual Flowers

These are flowers that complete their life cycles in just one growing season. They grow their foliage, flower, and loose their seeds and eventually die out. Annual flowers bloom from the springtime until the autumn frost. These flowers are hard to beat in terms of showy season long color, but before you fill your flower bed with these vibrant plants realize you will have to plant them all over again next year.

Some popular annual flowers include: coleus, marigold, and alyssum.

Perennial Flowers

These flowers complete their life cycle after 3 or more years. Though these flowers have a shorter season of bloom, you will not need to replant them every year. This works out particularly well in the Midwest, because they will not die during our harsh winters. The benefit of combining several species of perennials when you are planting is that you can yield season long color in your flower garden. There is no end to the color, textures, and sizes available in these types of flowers.

Some popular perennial flowers include: daylilies, hostas, peonies, and garden mums.

3. Sun Sensitivity Types

When you are planning your garden it’s crucial to remember that different plants need different amounts of light. There are four main categories of light that plants fit into and it will be extremely helpful to learn them before you pick the spot for your flower bed!

Full Sun

These are the plants that need 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. It is very important that you plant them in an area where they will get ample amounts of sun, because most of these sun loving plants actually prefer more than the 6-8 hour guideline.

Some popular full sun plants include: shastadaisies, stone crop, lamb ears, and yellow alyssum.

Partial Sun

These are the plants that need direct sunlight between 4-6 hours per day. The name is somewhat misleading as it may sound like they need a mixture of both sun and shade. These plants should be planted in direct sunlight. They just need a little less sunlight than the full sun plants.

Some popular partial sun plants include: clematis, amsonia, bee balm, and bellflowers.

Partial Shade

Direct sunlight of only 2-4 hours are needed for plants in this category. This category, unlike partial sun does require some shade. Great places to plant these flowers are areas along the northern side of your home. This way they get both the sun and shade they require. Another good place for these plants is by garden structures that make a shadow.

Some popular partial shade plants include: cardinal flowers, bergenia, bleeding hearts, and primroses.

Shade

These are the plants that need the least amount of sunlight, less than two hours of sunshine per day. You could feel free to plant these flowers under an overhang or nearly anywhere that is usually protected from the sun.

Some popular shade plants include: peach blossoms, astilbe hybrids, begonias, and hostas.

Hopefully these tips help you in creating your perfect flower bed and bring some color to your yard. Remember, your yard is the first impression of your home, so make it one that can’t be forgotten!