Starting the Perfect Flower Bed

My wife and I launch our one and only son off to Army boot camp today. We are extremely proud of him and, in typical Lain fashion, we will throw a party to mark the occasion. Family, friends, classmates, and colleagues will be joining in the celebration. Consequently, menus, carpet cleaning, and seasonal unveiling of patio furniture have filled our to-do lists this week. My most important job for this first outdoor party of the year is to get our flowerbeds ready.

Preparing the first flowerbeds of the season is as exciting for me today as it was when planting my first flowerbed years ago. It was and still is so much fun, great exercise, and a sure stress releaser. I truly lose myself when planning and planting the garden; it can be a challenging but always-exciting adventure in gardening. Here is a quick rundown of the practical how-to tips of creating a flower garden.

The best location for a flowerbed is in a sunny spot that receives full direct sun. It should be sunny all day long or for at least six hours each day during the growing season. Shady gardens can be rewarding, but for a first garden with lots of flowers, a sunnier spot is better because it accommodates a greater variety of flowers.

If you are starting your first flower garden, a modest sized flowerbed is probably better than a big one. An area about 3-4’ wide and 8-10’ long will be manageable, but won’t be overwhelming to maintain. It also will provide enough space for experimentation. You can see which plants work for you and which don't, and then build on that knowledge and experience for later gardens.

For a beginning gardener, flat ground is best because it is the easiest to work. A slight slope is okay, but the steeper the angle the more difficult it is to turn the soil, fertilize, water, and weed. A flowerbed on a really steep hillside is especially challenging and not for the novice gardener.

The first step in preparing the soil is to remove all existing grass and/or weeds including their roots. If you use weed killer, be sure to read and carefully follow the label directions. I find using a combination of ‘Killzall’ and ‘Spreader Sticker’ in the same spray tank is highly effective, yet the soil is never poisoned or tainted. After weeds are eliminated, remove all rocks larger than golf balls; these stones heat up in summer and act like little ovens in the soil. The more thoroughly you do this now, the better your results will be later.

Next, loosen the ground soil and add a three - inch layer of composted mulch over the entire planting bed. I like to combine steps to save time; so, on top of the mulch I put a layer of my ‘All Natural Plant Food’ and a layer of ‘Soil Activator’. I then turn all three ingredients into the ground and mix them to one shovel’s depth. This never fails to produce a most spectacular flower show!

Make sure all material added to the soil is composted; fresh material will begin composting in the soil and take vital nutrients away from the plants, negatively affecting their production flowers. If you use manure, do not use too much. Manure is very hot and if applied too generously can burn plants.

Meanwhile, think about how you want your flower garden to look. Do you like a formal or informal style? What colors personify your style or mood? Which plants should you put in the different areas of the bed? The answers to these questions are dictated by every gardener’s personal tastes, likes, and dislikes. Fortunately, it’s hard to make a mistake with flowers. Flowers are shallow rooted and can easily be moved elsewhere in the bed. If you find you don’t care for a flower as it progresses, move it!

I’ve learned that dark colored flowers, such as red and purple, look great up close, but get lost when admired at a distance. Bright and light colors, like solar yellow, white, bubblegum pink, and all lavenders seem to glow from afar. Have fun playing as you discover the pleasures of flower gardening!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

PLANT OF THE WEEK: Majestic Beauty Hawthorn bears huge flowers composed of lilac-scented florets. The most versatile of all evergreen shrubs, this mighty little bloomer is really easy to grow. Growing to the size of a large human being and thriving in the heat from driveways, courtyards, and south facing walls, this hawthorn makes an ideal privacy screen. It can be sheared easily into a formal hedge that requires little maintenance or care. Planted with a royal purple barberry it makes a dramatic contrast in any garden. Also good to know is that deer, rabbits, and javalinas are never drawn to this landscape beauty.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Don’t forget the Yavapai County Home and Garden Show this weekend at Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. I will be there all weekend answering questions about mountain landscapes, but will leave a little early on Saturday for my boy’s ‘Going Away Party’. Bring samples from your landscape, photos, and ideas and I’ll do my best to help with your questions.

Until next week, I'll see you in the garden center.