How to Plant Flowers

Flower planting is one of those activities that people indulge in to reward themselves and their neighbors with beauty and perfumed scents in the warmth of a sunny day.  Even the hardest of hearts are softened with colorful displays and the fragrance of lovely blooms.

A flower bed is like a palate for a painter.  Any combinations of colors, shapes and sizes come together in a delightful blend when gathered in a flower garden.  There are few rules, and many guidelines to flower planting, so even the most inexperienced of gardeners can have great success in designing their first flower beds.

There are several types of plants that can be combined when flower planting.  Annuals are flower plants that have a limited life span of only one year.  That being said, some annuals that produce copious seeds at the end of the season have a reseeding habit; meaning that their seeds are scattered through natural sources to nearby areas and could provide new plants the following year.  Biennials are plants that flower one year, and then skip a year before flowering again.  Perennials are plants that will continue to appear every year, flowering each year without the need for replanting. 

Bush plants are also to be considered when flower planting.  These are generally perennials, and grow in mounding form to heights of 2-4 feet tall in flower gardens.  Larger flowering bushes are certainly available, but because of their heights they are usually not included in confined flower beds. 

While there are few rules in flower planting, some do apply and should be considered when designing a flower bed to display each plant to its fullest potential.  Flower beds should be layered to deliver the best effect; tallest plants to the back of the flower bed and then descending in size to the front of the bed.  Ground cover flowering plants can serve as a border. 

Flower planting can be designed by color, as well.  There are numerous plants that bloom in a variety of colors, providing great choices.  Deciding on a color theme can be an easy matter; red, white and blue for patriotic colors, school colors or just favorite color themes are simple to orchestrate.  Or a gardener may wish to allow nature to take its course; flower planting in drifts, or sections of color, is a very popular choice especially in landscapes. 

There are many reasons to consider flower planting.  Beautiful blooms decorating a landscape, bordering a walkway or framing a home front are methods of expressing a desire to be one with nature.  Flower planting that permits that beauty to be viewed and admired by passer-by is a way of sharing nature and your efforts, a true reward for all.