The Two Most Important Tips for Your Flower Beds

 

Edging is the Most Important Task

Starting a new flower bed or sprucing up an existing one: Not only does edging your flower beds create a visual barrier between the lawn and the garden, as well as cuts down the required maintenance required to keep that crisp look.

Once the grass from your lawn has invaded your flower bed, it is very challenging for gardeners to get rid of the grass without killing the ornamental plants as collateral damage. Digging or pulling up grass and weeds is a laborious task and not very feasible. Thus, the best method is prevention—preventing grass from ever-growing in the nutrient-rich gardening soil in the first place.

To prevent grass from invading your flower bed, it is imperative then, that the edging be inserted deep enough into the ground to block these roots from growing under the grass barrier. It also must block any germination underneath the flower bed and sprouting up above ground.

Read more:

https://grassbarrier.com/blogs/grass-barrier-blog/edging-for-flower-beds-that-is-attractive-and-functional

https://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2012/07/how-to-edge-flower-beds-like-pro.html

Never, Ever Use Landscape “Fabric”

Landscape fabric contains petroleum and other chemicals that can compromise the growth of your flowers and shrubs.

Contrary to what sellers of plastic fabric are telling, only a very small fraction of weeds are in the ground, many weeds are in the soil of plants you are purchasing, or contains in garden soil or mulch. Most weed seeds are flying through the air, are distributed by pouring rain, or are spread by birds into garden beds. 

There is no need to use any fabric if you mulch thoroughly. Mulch will do the trick, but most people don’t put it on thick enough. The plastic fabric is contra-productive as it holds the roots of weeds or grass, so they cannot be totally removed and will re-grow. 

Healthy soil is crumbly and loose. Loose soil allows for nutrients, water, and even air to reach down in the soil and help plants to grow. Underneath the landscape fabric, the soil becomes hard and compact. 

Last but not least: We all should try to avoid any plastic at all in order to save our environment and the planet!

If you really want to create a barrier - thick layers of newspaper sheets or brown cardboard (remove all stickers and tape!) are a much better solution - apply before you add a thick layer of mulch.

Read more:

https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/12-easy-ways-to-reduce-plastic-in-the-garden/

https://www.yourgreenpal.com/blog/6-reasons-why-landscape-fabric-is-a-bad-idea

https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/2019/04/30/why-plastic-landscape-fabric-is-actually-bad-for-your-plants-and-the-soil/

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Basic Garden Design - Not Only for Beginners

 

Many garden owners are tempted by the displays or by special sales in garden centers and carry home whatever they find attractive. Often only a single plant of each type. Don't buy plants indiscriminately. One of everything will end up in a visual mess. Save your money until you know what you need.

First Things First
Building a house starts with the foundation!  The same is true for building a garden.  Prep your soil with lots of compost and rotted manure. Unless you are lucky to have fantastic soil, amend it first before planting anything. 
Good black soil is the safest thing to use. Lay a couple of inches of compost at soil level and dress with mulch after you've finished planting.  It will suppress weeds, keep the moisture, and even out temperatures in summer and winter.  From now on the soil should not be disturbed. The first year your garden must be watered deeply twice or three times a week.

Evaluate Light and Sun
Which way does your garden face? Calculate where you have sunny spots for 4 to 6 hours a day and apply this information to plant research.  Read the plant labels carefully and research each plant on the Internet.  Don't bother with vegetables unless you've got sun for more than 6 hours a day, and you are willing to water and weed on a daily basis.  Examine all the contours of the garden and enhance any humps by building a berm — piling up soil and covering it with compost.

Create sections or "garden rooms" 
Have an overall vision of what the garden should look like from specific parts of the house.  Now it's time to choose your trees, shrubs, and plants, and lay them out for maximum visual impact. Avoid planning them too narrow.  Find out the maximum size plants and trees will reach. 

Every garden needs a focal point
It can be a structure, a gazebo, a patio, a beautiful birdbath, or a spectacular plant.  Evaluate the volume of the plant at maturity: how wide and high will it get? Don't forget at least one to two feet of space around it.  Read the plant tags and take them seriously. 

Big structural trees come in every shape, size, and color — they are the most thrilling creatures to plant — never be casual about them.  Trees are crucial for screening, privacy, beauty, as well as creating a vertical element. 

Create layers 
Once you know what trees will grow well, look for large shrubs or small trees as the next level down (2 to 3 meters in height). We often forget this important aspect of design: eye level. You should have the feeling of walking through plants.

Create a mix of both evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs throughout.  We need the evergreens for winter interest, as well as for bird and animal habitats.  If you want to attract butterflies, for instance, get Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Eupatorium (Bonesets), Ninebark shrubs, Weigela, or a small Hydrangea tree. 

Perennials and annuals add color to the garden  
Get plants with similar hues in the bloom to achieve a drift of color.  Plant hundreds of small naturalizing spring bulbs. They will provide the soil with cover and feed early spring insects.  Their amazing colors are a bonus.  This way you will have something blooming in every season.

Last, but not least: No Plastic in Your Garden!

Plastic is creeping in heavily for years into our personal landscape: Sitting on a PLASTIC deck with a PLASTIC canopy or awning, using a PLASTIC watering can, PLASTIC garden hoses, PLASTIC garden fence, PLASTIC trim edges for the lawn, PLASTIC garden tools, PLASTIC flower pots, and planters…

Mother Earth is precious for all living organisms - and that we need to protect the environment and do something against the thread of a climate catastrophe that is upon us and our children.  Instead of calling for the governments to do something, we should start to add our part.  Fossil fuels, plastic, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides — all that should be banned from our daily life, our families — and our gardens!

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