How to plan an artfully arranged flower garden

Planning an artful flower garden is something that many people like to do. Some hire a gardener or consultant to help, but it's not really necessary. There are few simple things you can do to create your own wonderful garden.

First, know what kind of plants grow well in the area you live. If you're not sure, look on the internet or go to your local nursery for advice on what grows well. Some plants, like columbines or sunflowers, can grow almost anywhere. Rose bushes are fairly common, although they can be difficult to work with. Vines of different types usually work well in most places. Petunias, violets, and other 'common' flowers also usually work well. If you are looking for more exotic or unusual plants, talk to your local nursery or local gardeners.

Next, choose a color scheme. Are you looking for rainbow colors? A few particular colors, or one color? Sunflowers and marigolds are usually in the yellow and orange area. Petunias can be almost any color and even have stripes. Columbines are multi-colored. Violets are purple. Rose bushes are usually red, pink, or yellow, although they can be white or black (or other, depending on the hybrids you may find at your nursery). Regardless of what you want, know what colors you're looking for before you start choosing plants.

Another thing to think about is balancing large vs. small plants. Are you looking for bushes and vines? If so, think about rhododendrons, snowball bushes, forsythia, lilacs, rose bushes, and evergreens. These plants will grow very large and will flower fairly early in the season. They then sport green leaves primarily or entirely without blooms throughout the summer. These are going to be major pieces in your garden, because in addition to their large size, they are also perennials. Once you plant them, they will stay in your garden forever, flowering every year until you remove them or they die from age or environmental factors. Select any perennials you may want before you think about your annuals.

Then, it's time for annuals. These are planted every spring, and they die in the fall. They must be replanted every year. When planning for these, you must think about the size of the blooms. Don't select very tiny bunches of flowers if your annuals are large and heavy; they'll be overshadowed. Don't select very large blooms if you have very small plants surrounding them; the balance will be off. It's best to select larger, fuller blooms if you have decent-sized perennials around, such as lilac, forsythia, or rhododendron. Think about choosing columbines, sunflower (original or hybrids), and maybe petunias. Your local nursery will have other varieties to choose from.

When it comes time to plant your garden, plant your larger or perennial plants first, because they will need more room. Plant the largest plants on the outer edges of your garden or in a small space by themselves. Also, plant them towards the back of the garden, at least three feet apart (more if they'll grow quite large). Make sure they're not too close to your house, and allow them to follow the natural shape of your garden - curved is better than straight in most cases.

Next, plant your annuals. Think about symmetry. If you have different sized blooms, plant the larger ones out to either side, so that it balances the large perennials at the edges of the garden. Try to balance it by having the same plants on either side of the garden. If you're not sure exactly how to put the plants in the middle, line them up according to color scheme and bloom size, and set them out in their pots along the garden. Make adjustments as you wish, getting a feel for what it will look like.

Don't plant annuals underneath or too close to perennials - they may shade the plants, preventing them from growing, or preventing them from really being seen. Make sure they are far enough in front of the perennials, or not directly in front of them.

If you are planting an area that doesn't have perennials in it, plant a few rows of whatever flower you choose - size doesn't matter as much, but don't go too large. Try planting the rows in a wavy line, or alternating rows (that is, plant row 1 so that plants are in spaces 1,3,5,7, and plant row 2 so that the plants are in spaces 2,4,6,8 - stagger them). Follow the lines that you see in your yard otherwise - if your yard is extremely square, plant your garden square. If things are little more uneven or curved, plant your flowers uneven or curved.

As long as you select plants you like, that work well with each other (color-wise and bloom size), you'll have a nice looking garden in your yard! Don't be afraid to choose what you like and trust your instincts - your garden will shine!