A colorful flower bed is an example of nature’s intricate artwork.
The creative gardener, with help from garden books and local experts, can design a flower bed that delights the senses throughout the growing season.
“Tall perennials such as hollyhocks, Joe Pye weed or cone flowers will look good against a wall or fence as the backdrop of a garden, with smaller flowers toward the front,” said Ellie Fischbeck, retail manager at Silver Pond Farm Nursery in Windsor Mill. “Medium-height bloomers ? daisies, phlox, black-eyed Susans ? can form the center of a free-standing garden and then be cut for floral arrangements. Another attractive choice is the pin cushion flower, which blooms from early summer right through November.”
For the garden?s edge, coreopsis, begonias and day lilies can add beauty and emphasis to the flower bed?s borders. To prevent grass from invading the garden, a band of mulch or bricks along the garden?s edge are good options.
“For the border, a wide, sweeping curve, which can easily be laid out with a garden hose, is often more attractive than a straight line,” said Mickey Howerton, landscape manager for Seasonal Changes in Gambrills. “If the bed is more than three feet deep, a pathway of stepping stones will make it easier for you to get around,” he said.
For a pleasing effect, establish plants in fairly large groupings of similar color or texture, either circular masses or elongated drifts.
When planning your summer garden, mark the location of your spring flowers before cutting them back so you won?t disturb bulbs when introducing new plants. Removing old mulch, which can develop fungus, and tilling the soil at least 6 inches deep is important, according to Howerton. Perennials take patience, but in moist, well-drained, fertilized soil they will establish themselves.
A bird bath, statuary or a gazing ball can add drama, accentuating the natural beauty of a garden.
