FLOWER BED INSTALLATION

A flower bed not only enhances the beauty of your outdoor space but also provides essential habitats for pollinators and butterflies. It’s a great way to boost your home’s curb appeal and add vibrant, colorful charm. While starting a flower bed may feel daunting at first, it’s easier than you think.

Don’t let hesitation hold you back from creating a stunning and colorful flower bed. With proper planning, preparation, and effort, your vision can come to life.

At Covenant Greens Landscaping, our team is here to assist you every step of the way—from initial design to final installation. Let us help you bring your dream flower bed to life!

Flower Bed & Garden Construction

Raised Beds

If the soil in your yard isn’t ideal for growing flowers, raised beds are an excellent solution. While most soil needs some enhancement to provide the nutrients flowers require to thrive, raised beds are particularly useful for large garden areas or challenging soil conditions.

Soil

Many annuals and perennials flourish in soil with a balanced mix of clay, silt, and sand that is loose and crumbly. Conducting a soil test is a smart step to determine your soil's specific needs. Adding compost can significantly improve soil health by enriching its nutrient content and structure.

Amount Of Sunlight

Consider how much sunlight the area receives throughout the day. Shaded areas require specific flowering plants that thrive in low-light conditions, but these options may be more limited. Most flowers need a certain amount of daily sunlight to grow well and reach their full potential.

High Quality Flower Bed Design

The design of your flower bed, whether raised or in-ground, should complement the overall aesthetic of your home and yard. For instance, a border garden looks best with flowers that maintain a proportionate height, ensuring they don’t overshadow the house. Typically, a border garden is long and narrow rather than short and deep.

In a border garden, plants are usually arranged by height, with taller plants (over 2 to 3 feet) at the back, mid-sized plants (10 inches to 2 to 3 feet tall) in the middle, and shorter plants (under 10 inches) in the front. Grouping at least three of the same plant together is recommended for visual impact, as single plants may not stand out, while groupings of 3, 5, or 7 create a stronger effect.

On the other hand, an island bed is often circular, square, rectangular, or free-form in shape. Unlike border gardens, island beds are not long and narrow but should instead maintain proportional dimensions, with longer beds also being wider. These beds are enhanced by a central focal point, such as a tree, birdbath, or decorative feature. Smaller island beds are especially popular around mailboxes.

The first essential step in creating a long-lasting flower bed is preparing the soil. There are various methods to get the soil ready, but the initial task is to remove the grass.

Flower Beds Designed To Last

Preparing The Soil

The foundation of a long-lasting flower bed starts with proper soil preparation. Whether you're creating an in-ground garden or a raised bed, removing grass is a critical first step.

Digging Up Existing Grass

To remove grass, use a shovel or hoe to wedge under the edges of the turf. Lift and peel the sod away, clearing the area for planting. Once the grass is removed, you can begin preparing the soil.

Removing Grass Without Digging

For a no-dig approach, cover the area with overlapping sheets of newspaper, at least six sheets thick. Add several inches of nutrient-rich soil or compost on top and soak the layers with water. Over several months, the grass underneath will die, and the newspaper will decompose, enriching the soil. For best results, allow the area to remain covered for a year before planting.

A raised bed is an excellent option, especially if your soil is not ideal for planting. A raised garden bed is essentially a freestanding box or frame without a top or bottom, placed in a sunny spot and filled with high-quality soil. These beds allow plant roots to grow into the ground below and access nutrients.

Ways to Build a Raised Bed:

  1. Custom Wood Frames: Use wooden boards cut to the desired length, allowing you to create a bed in any shape or size.

  2. Raised Bed Kits: Pre-packaged kits provide everything needed for easy assembly. They typically form small squares or rectangles and require no sawing or hammering.

  3. Mounded Soil: Create a raised bed by simply piling soil 6 to 8 inches high without a frame.

Building Raised Flower Beds

Once your soil is ready and your design is in place, the next step is selecting plants. Use perennial flowers as the backbone of your flower bed, as they return year after year. Add annual flowers for seasonal color and variety. Be sure to choose plants that thrive in your climate and are suited to the bed's sun or shade exposure. Most importantly, select flowers you love to create a garden that brings you joy.

Plant Suggestions for Sunny Flower Beds:

  • Tall Plants (Back of Borders): Sunflowers, Coneflowers

  • Vibrant Blooms: Zinnias, Black-Eyed Susans, Foxglove, Salvia, Lavender

  • Seasonal Favorites: Daylilies, Asters, Irises (prefer morning sun), Sedum

  • Unique Picks: Amsonia, Baptisia, Astrantia, Hellebore (blooms in winter!)

Plant Suggestions for Shady Flower Beds:

  • Delicate Blooms: Astilbe, Bleeding Heart, Primroses, Violets

  • Textured Greenery: Lamb’s Ears, Lily of the Valley

  • Bright Additions: Bee Balm, Foxglove, Hydrangea, Jacob’s Ladder

By taking the time to prepare your soil, construct durable beds, and select the perfect plants, you can create a flower garden that enhances your landscape and lasts for years to come.

Choosing Plants For Your Flower Beds

Yes, creating a flower bed for your yard involves quite a bit of work. Some people enjoy doing it themselves and don't mind the time and effort needed. However, you may not fall into this category.

If you’re busy with work, family, and other priorities, finding the time for a garden project might seem impossible. You’d love to have a beautiful garden with flowers and plants, but the work involved is too much to tackle on your own.

Professionally installed flower beds and gardens can be the perfect solution! Not only do professionals handle all the hard work, but they can also save you money in the long run. A professional landscaping company like Covenant Greens Landscaping will select the best plants for your space and consider all factors you might overlook. From designing your yard to installing sod, trees, shrubs, and flowers that will thrive, we handle it all.

Expertly Installed Flower Beds & Gardens