How to design a flower bed for all seasons?
Forgive the newbie for the super obvious beginner question, but it's something I haven't been able to get right in my previous small garden. Now I've moved house and have a big untouched garden and I'm planning my new flower beds and want to get it right!
I've previously seemed to buy plants which flower at one time (eg May/June) and then was left with nothing for the rest of the summer or year. I want to avoid making the same mistake in my new garden but I'm not sure how. I know a lovely flower/colour combination of plants I want but they all flower in July-August which means I'd have no colour until then. If I spread them out with enough space for other (earlier flowering plants) (and their roots) then I lose the impact of the colours altogether as there will be gaps and fading/dying flowers in between them when they start to flower. It's such an obvious question but I don't know how to get it right!
I've previously seemed to buy plants which flower at one time (eg May/June) and then was left with nothing for the rest of the summer or year. I want to avoid making the same mistake in my new garden but I'm not sure how. I know a lovely flower/colour combination of plants I want but they all flower in July-August which means I'd have no colour until then. If I spread them out with enough space for other (earlier flowering plants) (and their roots) then I lose the impact of the colours altogether as there will be gaps and fading/dying flowers in between them when they start to flower. It's such an obvious question but I don't know how to get it right!
0
Posts
You don't necessarily have to buy a whole load of plants each time, just take photos and make a note of the variety.
@chicky thank you - I had a few Totally Tangerine Geum in my last garden, I'm very fond of them. Might try some of the other new varieties too as I'm very into the orange/red and blue/purple colour scheme combination of flowers.
It sounds like I just need to plan a bit more carefully - I really struggle with visualising how something will look before it's there and it often turns out to look completely different to how I'd envisaged it!
The times l've planted something, only to find it's too tall, the wrong colour, etc. Mind you that's part of the fun, moving things about !
Shows like GW Live are great for finding plants that are more unusual, and the exhibitors are usually only too happy to give advice. If you can plan to get there at the beginning or towards the end of the day when things are a little less frantic they have a bit more time to spare.
Think about shrubs which can be of interest all year round,these could be flowering ones or ones grown for their foliage.
I love Spirea japonica
and Ceratostigma willmotianum
I find it strange that you never mention if you are planning to use herbaceous perennials OR annuals in your new garden (or both). And what about shrubs? Also you mention "colours", I hope you include white in your colour scheme!
A careful selection of perennials & shrubs (plus a few bulbs) should ensure a colourful display for most of the year. Do make a plan of your garden to scale and populate it with potential plants.
You may find some useful ideas on my garden site at http://www.rezeau.org/wp-garden/en/
You can browse the plants by type, season, colour, etc. at http://www.rezeau.org/wp-garden/en/advanced-search-and-filter-plants-page/
Looking forward to news of your progress, with pics!
The down side is that there are always gaps. For example, I too have oriental poppies, which make a beautiful show. Then they go brown and shrivelled and die away, leaving bare earth where they were.You can't underplant because they smother anything close. However, if you have money and time enough, it is possible to fill in most gaps. Monty Don is brilliant at this, but I have to add that his budget per programme usually exceeds my annual spend.
In the end, it will come down to what you like: one glorious show, soon over, or a more gentle progression throughout the season.
Plant between the daffodil, viola, pansy and primrose this gives you colour mostly through to April. may.
Kili
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
George Bernard Shaw'