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Flower Gardening Flower gardening offers the home gardener an opportunity to express passion and creativity and to create an environment that is peaceful, aromatic and beautiful. A flower garden is a place where one can work hard or relax, and enjoy bright colors and delightful smells. Flower gardening can be accomplished in a small or large area, in the ground, raised beds, greenhouses or containers. Beginning and experienced gardeners may choose to design their flower garden first on paper. Flower gardening design involves roughly sketching the area where you plan to garden. You must remember to include objects such as poles, sidewalks, patios, existing plants, faucets and hills. It is important to note the amount of sun the area receives. Some plants love shade, while others require full sun. Another way to start your flower gardening is with the use of containers. Containers provide the opportunity to move the plants around as you determine the location in which the flowers grow best. Trellises offer an attractive method of growing vining plants. A consideration in flower gardening should also be given to native plants. You can look around the natural landscapes of your area and see what is growing. Native plants attract wildlife, lizards, birds and butterflies. Because they are natural and already adapted to the area in which you plant them, they often require less attention. To assist with flower gardening and other planting, the USDA has developed a hardiness zone map. This map rates areas based on winter temperatures. Basically the higher the zone number, the warmer the area. Some plants require a certain degree of cold, others prefer warmth. Zones are just one thing to consider in deciding on the plants for your flower garden. Flower gardening offers a variety of plants from which to choose. Annuals grow, flower, seed and die after one season. Biennials generally grow for two seasons. Healthy perennials live for more than two years. Some types appear to die, but reappear in the spring. There are also an assortment of plants such as bulbs, wildflowers, flowering vines, ornamental and flowering grasses, ground cover and shrubs. Think about the area where you will be flower gardening and reflect on the heights of plants you want, the colors, and blooming cycles. It is nice to create your garden so that there is almost always something blooming. Soil is an important part of flower gardening. Typically gardeners prefer a soil containing sand, silt, clay and organic material. The soil must also have good drainage. Measuring your soils pH can help you determine the availability of key nutrients and predict your flowers success. Soils range from acidic to neutral to alkaline. This is stated as a pH value of 0-14, with low numbers being acidic ranging to the higher alkaline numbers. Generally areas with high amounts of rainfall have more acidic soil, and those with drier more arid climates, more alkaline. There are kits available with which to test your own soil. Take samples from several different areas. Organic soil amendments, such as compost, can be used to help soils out of the pH range you desire. Consider the plants you will be growing and their nutritional needs. You can always modify the soil for a particular plant as needed. Flower gardening allows you to express yourself in a beautiful and aromatic way. It can be achieved no matter the space available and helps to create a wonderful environment for you and your home.
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