One of the many questions asked by beginners is how to start a flower garden. Appears like a beautiful dream as well as a challenge, a flower garden for beginners. That’s why we have brought flower gardening tips for beginners so that everyone can create their flower garden.
As a new gardener, it may take some time to achieve success but with the help of proper knowledge, you can enjoy this exciting work. You may make some mistakes in the first year, but this will be your learning time so don’t worry. Over time you will gain experience and you will be able to create a more wonderful flower garden with less effort. Trust me, it is not that difficult, you just have to keep some basic things in mind, and your work will be done.
6 Steps and 11 Flowers to Start a Flower Garden for Beginners (2024)
You have hundreds of colors to choose from, millions of plants, and thousands of ways to organize them. But it is clear that this is not easy for new and inexperienced gardeners and they do not understand where to start and what to do. Read our mentioned 6 steps and you will find that it is not that difficult at all.
As a new gardener in floriculture, all the things you have to keep in mind are divided into 6 parts below. Follow these easy steps and create a wonderful flower garden.
#1 Step: Choose the Location and Size of Flower Gardening
The first step under How to Start a Flower Garden for Beginners is choosing the right location and flower gardening size. This step is important for various reasons. Based on your preference and the need for flower plants you have to imagine the flower beds in your garden. This will help you to avoid any issues that can occur by choosing the wrong place or size for flower beds.
Location
First of all, you have to select the right place for flower gardening. Flowering plants require at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Compared to other plants, flowering plants are very delicate and can wither due to lack of sunlight. It also affects the quantity of flowers blooming. In such a situation, you need a place where they can get sunlight as per their requirement.
However, indoor plants like begonias and fuchsias have different needs and do not require direct sunlight. But here we are talking about the flower garden. Obviously, for this, such flowers will be selected that are planted outside and, depending on the variety, demand sufficient sunlight. Therefore you are advised to choose a sunny place.
When you are new to gardening, you should start with a small space. For this purpose take a small piece of land from your big backyard. Also, that part should be in such a place where there is not much movement or activity. It should not happen that those flowers have been crushed by someone’s feet unknowingly.
Even if you don’t have a lot of space or live in an apartment where you don’t have land for gardening, it’s not a problem. A container garden can be a good option for you. Not only this, if you choose a container garden, then you can move them from one place to another if needed.
Size
Once you have chosen the location, it would be a good idea to decide on the size of the flower bed. It is better to make a blueprint in advance of what your garden will look like and whether you will be happy with it than to start working.
In flower gardening, you can place many types of decorations in addition to flower beds. For example a fountain, different types of flower containers, flower gazebo, lighting, etc.
#2 Step: Soil Conditions for Flower Gardening
You have to pay attention to flower gardening is the condition of the soil. Having good soil ensures that you will be able to enjoy beautiful flowers in times to come. Get the soil test. For this, collect soil samples from the place you have chosen for flower gardening and send them to any good soil testing center near you.
By doing this you get information about whether the soil of that place is suitable for gardening or not. Soil can be more acidic or alkaline. If you find it in the report, you can either choose another location or take measures to make that soil suitable. If you choose a different location, repeat the above process. And if you think about making that poor soil suitable for gardening, then you have to take the help of some fertilizers and plants, etc. This was the second point under how to start a flower garden for beginners.</p>
#3 Step: Soil Preparation
In the third step, you have to prepare the soil for flower gardening. If there is grass or any weed in your chosen place, then you should prepare the soil by removing it. Garden soil needs to have a pH between 6 and 7 for flowering plants to grow well. You can use a pH test kit to check the pH. The pH test kit is readily available and easy to use. This way you have all the freshly carved brown soil ready to feed the flowers.
You can make flower beds on top of the grass with the no-dig gardening technique. But my suggestion would be that being new to gardening, you should choose the traditional method. You should plant the flower seeds between 6 inches and 12 inches apart. This is the standard depth. If it is more or less than this, the plants will not grow properly nor will their roots be strong.
#4 Step: Choose The Best Flowers For Flower Garden
The fourth step is fun as well as important. This part will introduce you to the beautiful world of flowers. As you have read earlier, you have millions of flowers to choose from, out of which you can choose and place them in your flower garden as per your choice and need. Therefore, you need some flowers which are beautiful, full of colors, excellent in texture, and fragrant. However, every flower is different and its characteristics are also different. Also, all these flowers demand different weather, soil conditions, care, etc.
But there are some flowers which you can grow with each other and with almost the same care. For a new gardener, choosing a variety of flowers, understanding their demands, and placing them in their garden can be a bit daunting. Therefore, we have provided a list of the 11 best, most beautiful, and most popular flowers for you, which you can read after following these 6 steps and choose your favorite flowers easily.
#5 Step: Planting Flowers in the Garden
Now that you have made all the preparations and are ready to plant your flower garden, then you have to keep in mind that the winter season is over. The flower garden should be started only after the winter season. You have two options for starting a flower garden. First, you should bring pre-grown plants from your nearest flower nursery and plant them at your chosen site. Second, you can bring the seeds of flowering plants and sow them at the chosen site.
I would suggest that if you are a new gardener then you go with the first option. Already grown plants will make your job much easier and you will be saved from getting disappointed in many ways. By the way, you can try this process by sowing a small number of seeds for the experience. The best time to plant the plants in the morning, immediately after sunrise, is a few hours. If you plant saplings in the early morning or late evening, you will not get the desired result. After planting flowers, it is necessary to give a proper amount of manure and plenty of water.
#6 Step: Caring for Flowering Plants
After following all the steps mentioned above, your plants are planted and will grow slowly. It takes some time. Once you plant flowering plants or sow the seeds in the ground, proper care of them is also necessary. Only then you will be able to enjoy its beauty. Well, you don’t have to do much.
You can water these plants every day or every other day. Remove weeds from around flowering plants. Fertilize plants that have remained underdeveloped. Also, remove those plants that have broken. And finally, see the flower bed you have planted with your efforts spreading its beauty.
11 Beautiful and Popular Flowers for Your Flower Garden
There are countless options of flowers to choose from, then making a decision becomes a bit difficult, and in a sense, it is also a challenge. But there are some flowers which are beautiful and also very popular. So that you can choose the right flowers for your flower garden, we are providing you a list of 11 such flowers that will not disappoint you when planted. You can keep any of these varieties in your garden as per your choice and preference. You can also consider choosing other flowers.
1. Daffodils
You can adopt the beautiful flowers of daffodils for your garden. These flowers are perennial and these flowers are mostly white and yellow. You can find many varieties of these that come in many different colors, like, orange or pink. With their beautiful yellow petals, long cups, and star-shaped flowers, they are enough to fascinate anyone. Your flower garden will be incomplete without daffodils.
These bloom in spring. Whereas they need full sun. Although they can tolerate partial shade, performance may be reduced. They require well-drained soil. The hardiness zone for these is 3 to 8. Paperwhites, jonquils, or narcissus, are varieties of daffodils, belonging to the genus Narcissus. These names are based on the variety and species of daffodils.
2. Tulips
Tulips are perennial flowers that bloom in spring. Their flowers are large, showy, and brightly colored. They come in many colors including red, orange, pink, yellow, or white and these flowers bloom in spring. These flowers and their leaves go dormant after the summer and regrow as shoots from the underground bulb in early spring. With over 150 species and over 3,000 different varieties, tulips are sure to be a great addition to your garden.
They need full sun. Also prefers soil with proper drainage. Hardiness zone for these is 3 to 8. Tulips are part of the lily family. Lily is considered one of the most popular flowers in the world. It is known for its diverse colors and fragrance.
3. Daisy
Daisy flowers are vibrant, cheerful, and easy to grow, making them a great choice for gardens. You can grow them in a variety of ways, including in flower beds in the garden and as companions to other flowers. Daisies are hardy, drought-tolerant, and perennial plants that provide gorgeous, classic charm for years.
This star-shaped flower comes in the most attractive colors from bright white to pink, purple, and yellow. As an iconic summer garden plant, these low-maintenance flowers will reward you with countless flowers throughout the summer and fall. Their flowers have 15 to 30 white ray petals. Whereas in their center there are bright yellow disc flowers. However other color combinations can also be seen. Daisy is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the aster family.
4. Rose
Roses are extremely beautiful, friendly, and beloved flowers symbolizing love, romance, and friendship all over the world. From single flowers to huge bushes laden with intoxicating flowers, no other flower can compete with them. Roses are the first choice of every gardener and they have no match in adding color and happiness to the home landscape.
These are of many varieties and sizes. Also, they come in many colors, of which red, yellow, pink, and white are the most popular. You must choose roses for your flower garden and choose the variety of the flower based on your preference. Roses have been cultivated for about 5,000 years. People use it not only for home decoration but also for medicinal purposes, making perfumes. Its presence in your garden will reflect the fullness of the garden.
5. Delphinium
Dolphinium is one of about 300 species in the Ranunculaceae family. These are both annual and perennial and their flowers look very beautiful. During June and July, flowers appear in clusters on their plants, the main colors of which range from purple and blue to red, yellow, or white.
The plants flower from late spring to late summer. These attract butterflies and bumble bees and are also pollinated by them. It is also called larkspur and can be planted at any time of the year. Usually, you will see it in purple and dark blue colors. Flowers are a great option for the beauty of the garden. But keep in mind that it is poisonous for humans and animals.
6. Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria is also known as Peruvian Lily or Lily of the Incas. Plants in this species of flowering plant, belonging to the Alstroemeriaceae family, grow from clusters of tubers. Most varieties available for the home garden bloom in late spring and early summer. About 190 varieties have been developed, which have many colors and designs.
Their leaves are of many shapes and their edges are smooth. Whereas their flowers are solitary and have 5 to 6 petals. These flowers come in many colors including red, orange, yellow, green, purple, pink, and white, and with darker stripes. Their plants require at least six hours of morning sunlight, regular watering, and well-drained soil. By planting them in your flower garden and returning them for a little care, you can be rewarded with colorful flowers.
7. Orchids
One of the largest families of flowering plants is the orchids. It has more than 28,000 species and more than 100,000 hybrids which makes it special. You have plenty to choose from. Some of the most popular types include dendrobium orchids, cattleya orchids, phalaenopsis orchids, and vanilla orchids. Orchids are available in a variety of colors and stripes and most are perennials. They do not demand much care, but if given a little care, they will be rewarded with maximum flowers. Most of the time, orchids depend on moisture from wind and rain for nutrients.
Many orchids bloom once or twice a year. At the same time, these blooming flowers last for 30 to 45 days. The best thing about them is that depending on the type, orchid plants can live for years and in certain conditions even decades.
8. Sunflower
Sunflowers come in different colors and sizes. It has thick, hairy stems, heart-shaped leaves, and bright yellow petals on flat flower heads, whose beauty is worth seeing. These beautiful, colorful flowers can enhance the beauty of any garden. Therefore, you should also consider planting it in your flower garden. Different varieties make different demands. Most varieties grow in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8 and are perennials. On the other hand, some are also grown in zones 9 and 10.
Sunflowers look quite spectacular against a bright fence or wall. It is mainly these smaller varieties that enliven a sun bed or border due to their varying colors. These small varieties bear small yellow, orange, maroon, or brown flowers that bloom from summer through fall. This flower requires 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily. Sunflowers need ample space to spread. While planting it, the soil should be dug well. If it is planted too densely, it cannot develop. Also, avoid adding too much fertilizer to it.
9. Marigold
Marigolds grow singly or in groups and there are about 50 species. They belong to the Asteraceae family and are native to the Americas, although they are cultivated throughout the world for their ornamental and medicinal properties. Marigolds are cheerful and versatile flowers known for their attractive colors and distinctive fragrance. They have a variety of colors to add beauty to the autumn season including bright orange, yellow, red, white, and combinations of two or more colors.
Marigold care is relatively simple. But some basic things have to be kept in mind. As such, marigolds thrive in full sun and need at least six hours of sunlight a day. Keep the soil constantly moist, use well-drained soil. No flowering annual plant can compare with Marigold in terms of color, cheerfulness, fragrance, and ease of growing. Due to these excellent qualities, marigolds should be a must-have in your flower garden.
10. Crocus
There are more than 80 crocus species. These flowers come in a variety of colors including pink, red, orange, yellow, purple, blue, and many more. Their bulbous flowers make for a welcome sight in the spring while making up the bleak landscape in late winter! There are dozens of varieties, varying in size, and color, and some have a strong aroma.
Crocuses not only provide winter garden color, but they spread over time and come back year after year. These can be grown with minimum care. In many regions, crocus flowers symbolize the arrival of spring. Depending on the severity of winter in your area, they begin appearing before any other flowers in your landscape, from January through March and are often peeking out from the snow. Their hardness zone is 3 to 8. Their main varieties include ‘Tricolor Crocus’, ‘Flower Record’, ‘Pickwick’, ‘Bowles White’, and ‘Purpureus Grandiflorus’. It deserves a place in your flower garden.
11. Geranium
Geranium is a beautiful perennial flowering plant growing in warm climate areas. This attractive and popular flower is grown in beds, borders, container plants, hanging baskets, and window boxes. One of the main reasons for the popularity of geraniums is their ease of growing with little care. The easiest way to plant geraniums is by transplanting while they are easily available in almost every garden center in the spring.
It is about 1 to 3 feet high and wide. Grown as a perennial in hardiness zones 10 to 11, these plants love full sun. Also, it is important to plant them in rich, well-drained soil. Geraniums come in orange, pink, purple, red, white, salmon, or two colors. The most common of the annual varieties, zonal geranium, is the most recognizable geranium. It belongs to the Pelargonium genus. Some of its species also have fragrant leaves. It is a wonderful experience to see the same flower in two colors simultaneously. If you plant it in your garden, you will not be disappointed.
Final Thought to Start a Flower Garden for Beginners (2024)
What can be better than a flower garden to enhance the beauty of your yard and give you happiness and peace? Imagine that happiness when your or your loved one’s eyes open in the morning and outside the window you see a beautiful flower bed spreading its shade saying good morning.
In the evening, you are sipping tea with your loved ones in your yard and the flower bed with its rainbow colors and fragrance is ending the exhaustion of your whole day.
Your hard work is worth it to make these experiences a reality. We hope that the information on 6 steps and 11 flowers to start a flower garden for beginners has helped you. Hopefully, by following these you will be able to plant and enjoy flowers in your garden or landscape.
Also read: Dahlia: An Ultimate Guide For Dahlias Planting, Growing, Caring & More
Well I really liked reading it. This tip offered by you is very helpful for correct planning.