THE BEAUTY AND IMPORTANCE OF FLOWERS IN YOUR GARDEN; HERE’S HOW YOU CAN GET STARTED!
But of course, no one’s oblivious to the captivating ambience that any set range of blooming flowers may present to its beholder; from subtle fragrances to colourful petals, no flower lags behind to impress one and all! After strolling along the pebble-strewn pathways in public botanical gardens, all lined with flora and foliage that is bound to render you awestruck at the au natural charm of Mother Nature, it makes any individual who’s enthusiastic about improving the appearance of his/her home wonder as to how a similar look could actually be recreated within his/her own private premises – and that too within commitments of a limited time and budget.
Does this seem like a project that may be too far-fetched for you? Not at all, in fact! Yes, for digging, planting and maintaining a regular flower bed is simpler than you ever imagined it to be! Even if you’ve never done any form of gardening before, the guide elaborated below is friendly enough to be followed by beginners too.
Before you begin to layout your flower bed, it is fundamental to initially decide on which types of flowers you may wish to plant. Upon recommendation, it is most prudent to plant at least 3 species of perennial flowers (flowers that shall continue to bloom throughout a lifespan of more than one year – most ideal for a couple of years or even on a permanent basis) and a few species of annual flowers (flowers that reach the end of their lives during the course of a year and require replanting after that to grow again) to supplement any nooks and crannies.
As an extremely low-cost alternative, one can choose to plant perennial flowers alone. However, the additional planting and upkeep of a few annuals within the flower bed is definitely worthwhile in the long run as these types of flowers are comparatively more spectacular in terms of hue than their former counterparts.
On a suggestive note, here are a few examples of perennial and annual flowers that you could obtain cuttings or purchase for planting. Please be aware that several hundreds of other flowering options are available too, and the most ideal species for your garden and its climate can be revealed by whatsoever that is currently in bloom in other parts of your locality as well. Nonetheless, here’s the list of flowers that are most popular amongst gardeners:
Perennial flowers
Coneflower (genus: echinacea purpurea)- Blanket flower (genus: gaillardia aristata)
- Michaelmas Daisy (genus: symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
- Catnip (genus: nepeta cataria)
- Russian sage (genus: perovskia atriplicifolia)
Annual flowers
- Marigold (genus: tagetes)
- Bachelor Button (genus: gomphrena globosa)
- Cranesbill (genus: geranium)
- Cosmos (genus: cosmos bipinnatus)
- Zinnia (genus: zinnia × hybrida)
The step-by-step process to make a flower bed
You will need:
- A spade,
- A rake,
- A garden hose,
- Manure or compost,
- Shoots or seeds of the flowers that you want to grow,
- A pair of gloves,
- Protective boots.
The instructions are:
(i) First, wear a pair of gloves and fasten your boots in order to render ultimate protection in due course of gardening.
(ii) By the aid of a garden hose, mark a boundary as to where your proposed flower bed shall be.
(iii) Within the surface area of this boundary, clean the ground as and how required; if grass is present, weed the entire area or in the issue of excessive pebbles or other debris, pick it all up and free the area to reveal a cleaner foundation for your flowers.
(iv) Next, dig into your spot at least a foot deep with your spade. Once done, complete by evening out the rest of the soil by means of raking.
(v) Fill manure or compost into this soil to treat it with extra nutrients that shall provide health and vitality of the plants that you wish to grow. Rake once again to blend this in with the rest of the soil underneath.
(vi) With your fingers, carefully dig holes that are an inch in depth and diameter.
(vii) Taking your cut shoots or seeds, dedicate one hole to each seed/shoot, and then cover with more soil as needed.
Tip: Try to plant flowers that may potentially have taller shoots at the rear end of your flower bed while focusing on their shorter counterparts in the front.
(viii) Water your flower bed.
Depending on the nature of each flower, shoots should sprout up a few weeks later on average to reveal a flowery bush that is bound to be a haven for attracting birds and insects such as hummingbirds and butterflies, in addition to enhancing the appearance of your lawn at the same time!
