While a lawned area in your garden certainly looks lovely, to really develop your outdoor area you’ll want to bring in plants, flowers and shrubs… and it’s likely that you’ll need to sacrifice a part of the lawn in order to achieve this.
Making a flower bed in a lawn is actually a really good place to begin if you’re new to gardening and aren’t sure what you’re doing, as you can’t really get it wrong so you can enjoy maximum output for relatively minimal input. Here are some tips!
Location
Make sure you choose a nice sunny spot for your flower bed, somewhere that gets between six and eight hours of sun per day. Also bear in mind the irrigation needs of your chosen spot, as any places that suffer from standing water won’t help your plants grow.
Remove the grass
Once you’ve got your location picked out, it’s time to remove the grass. You can use special machinery to get the job done if you want a big bed, or you can do it by hand using a trench shovel, lifting the grass and peeling it away. If you go down this route, you might have to break up the soil to get it ready for planting.
Note that you might also want to consider adding in organic matter if you have clay soil as this can help with drainage. For sandy soil, add in compost and manure to improve water retention.
Pick your plants!
Once you’ve readied your flower bed, the fun of choosing your plants can begin. Knowing the pH of your soil will help you pick out varieties that will grow most successfully.
Factors to bear in mind include colour, size, height and width. Typically, beds will feature the tallest flowers at the back, with groundcover plants at the very forefront.
Of course, these are just a few hints and tips, so if you’d like any further help or advice relating to garden design and maintenance, get in touch with LW Landscapes today.