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Perennial garden layout planner9/24/2023 Some steep slopes might be ideal sites for rock gardens. Such slopes might also be good candidates for a tough, spreading, mat-forming groundcover. They may require terracing if you want to create flowerbeds without losing soil. Steep slopes pose special problems, especially protecting soil from erosion. For example, areas close to the north sides of buildings get little direct sun.įlower gardens are easiest to establish on level or slightly sloping ground. Indicate which way is north on your sketch so that you become more aware of how much sun different places receive. Sketch in existing trees and other plantings. Add the garage, other buildings, driveway, walks, fences, and patios. Now might be a good time to start sketching your design plans on paper. Very few plants will thrive here - with the exception of some tough, competitive groundcovers. This is one of the most difficult places to grow flowers, however, because of the deep shade and intense competition for moisture and nutrients from tree roots. One of the most tempting places to put your flower garden is around the base of a mature tree. Also consider how neighbors and passersby will see your gardens. Don't forget about how the beds will look when viewed through windows from inside the house. Especially consider the views from private outdoor spaces such as patios, decks, and terraces. Plant flower beds where you can see them. Prepare soil well in advance of planting - preferably in fall for planting the following spring. Unless you are going to limit yourself to plants that can tolerate boggy soil conditions, avoid locating flower gardens where there is standing water after heavy rains or during the spring thaw. Most garden plants need well-drained soil. See Flower Growing Guides for more information on sunlight requirements of each kind of flower. Some plants may grow fine in the shade but flower better in full sun. Most candidates for flower gardens prefer full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun each day). Different plants need different amounts of light. What's important is that your garden look good to you.īreak this rule at your own peril. Remember that, in most cases, there is more than one way to arrange plants, and that many of the "rules" of garden design were made to be broken. Instead, they'll point out the aesthetic consequences of different strategies. The tips below avoid as much as possible the prescriptive "shoulds" that dominate advice about garden design. Or you might prefer a more natural look with sweeping curves and irregular clumps of plants. You might prefer a formal look with straight edged beds and plants in orderly patterns. The aesthetics, however, are more a matter of personal preference. If you ignore these imperatives, your results will likely be disappointing. Sure, it's important to do a good job of soil preparation and carefully match plants to the site. When it comes to flower garden design, it's mostly up to you.
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