Creating a flower bed: Location, planning & plant selection

The optimal time to create a new flower bed is early autumn. In September and October, the soil is still warm from the sun and perennials can root well. Additionally, you can immediately see the flower colour and the size of the plants. Alternatively, you can prepare and plant the garden bed in March and April.

In the chapter "Planning & background knowledge," you will find numerous tips and information that you should familiarize yourself with before picking up the spade.

Even though planting a flower bed doesn't pose significant dangers, you should still pay attention to safety at every step to protect yourself and your health. You can find important tips in our overview of safety precautions for DIY projects.

To ensure long-lasting enjoyment of your flower bed, the plants should not only complement each other but also suit the location. So, before you pick up the spade, get an overview of the light conditions and soil quality in your garden. Then you can start planning your flower bed.

First, determine where the new bed should be. Unlike vegetables, which prefer sunny spots, you have flexibility in choosing the location for your flowers. There are suitable plants for sunny, semi-shaded, and shaded areas.

The following questions help determine the location for your flower bed:

• How do you want to direct the view? Do you want to emphasize or even hide certain views?
• Is there a terrace or a retreat that can be enhanced with the flower bed?
• Can fences or walls be included in the planting?
• How do the garden paths run?
• Can hills or elevations be integrated?
• Should the bed fulfil specific functions (demarcation, privacy screen, etc.)?

The size and shape of the flower bed depend largely on the local conditions and the effect you want to achieve. It should complement both the rest of the garden and the house.

• Round flower beds or island beds are suitable for marking the centre of a larger area. They can be viewed from all sides. If you want to place the bed in the middle of a lawn, it's recommended to use edging stones to prevent the grass from encroaching on the flowers.
• Curved beds and strips can soften elongated rectangular gardens. They can be created on a larger lawn or in front of walls, fences, and paths.
• Semi-circular and triangular beds work well in front of boundaries such as walls, fences, or hedges. They don't need to stand alone; you can also arrange multiple flower beds side by side. The spaces between them can be filled with gravel or stones, or with grass.
• Rectangular planting beds are usually created as flower borders along garden paths, house walls, walls, and fences. Borders are a great way for beginners to gradually explore the topic of bed design.
• L-shaped and U-shaped beds are suitable for enclosing terraces and seating areas.
• Quartered beds enhance right-angled garden corners.

All areas of the bed should be easily accessible. For larger flower beds, you can plan additional garden paths. Individual stepping stones also help you move safely between the plants.

By cleverly combining ornamental shrubs, perennial herbs, bulb flowers, and annual summer flowers, you can enjoy a lush bloom from early spring to late autumn. Before you plant a flower bed, you should make a plan or sketch. Draw where you want to place each plant. It's best to work with circles or oval shapes and different colours - the same plant species should have the same colour.

To ensure that your bed presents a harmonious overall picture later on, you should adhere to some basic rules when designing it. In gardening, there are four types of plants: leading, accompanying, filling, and scattering plants:

If the flower bed is located in front of a house wall, wall, or hedge, it's best to place the leading perennials at the very back and let the planting slope towards the front. For beds that can be viewed from all sides, it's recommended to place large leading perennials in the middle. Ensure that all plants receive enough light later on.

If you're unsure, it's better to initially plant your garden bed with fewer flowers and see how they develop. In the following year, you can then add more accordingly. Any remaining gaps can be filled excellently with annual summer flowers. Alternatively, you can place flowerpots in the gaps. Also, learn how to properly plant flowerpots.

The selection of plants suitable for planting your garden bed is enormous. We have compiled the current flower trends, including a brief profile of the plants, in a separate article for you.

• Choose a specific theme for your bed or individual areas. Colourful cottage gardens or romantic beds in delicate pastel tones are particularly popular.
• Keep local conditions in mind: Is the bed in the sun? Is the soil loose or firm? Does it dry out quickly?
• Focus on one or two leading plants and select suitable lower companions.
• Foliage plants complement the selection and provide an attractive appearance throughout the year.
• Avoid garish and unpleasant colour contrasts among flowers that bloom simultaneously: Rosa and orange, for example, are not good partners in the bed.
• If the bed is to be created in front of a hedge, there may be high competition for light, water, and nutrients. In doubt, opt for hardy plants here.
• Pillars, fences, and walls can be adorned with climbing plants such as clematis, trumpet vine, or climbing roses.
• Bright flowers stand out particularly well against a dark background.
• You can create a privacy screen with tall shrubs or trellises in the background. The bed should then be at least 3 meters deep. Of course, you can also build and plant a privacy screen from pallets.
• If you want to create a bee-friendly flower bed, then choose mainly plants with unfilled flowers. Additionally, you can make a wild bee hotel or build an insect hotel to complement it.

If you want to bring more variety to your garden, you can build a raised bed from pallets. We also provide information on how to create and fill a raised bed.

• Hardy perennials and shrubs: Can be planted throughout the year, but spring or autumn is particularly favourable.
• Bulb flowers: Spring and summer bloomers are planted in autumn, while autumn bloomers are planted in summer.
• Annual summer flowers: Can be sown indoors from March. Seedlings are planted outdoors after the last frost around mid to late May. Direct sowing is also possible from April. An alternative is to purchase pre-grown plants from a nursery.
• Biennial summer flowers: Are sown in summer and overwinter in the bed. They bloom the following year.

This is a question that divides opinions. Generally, a layer of mulch offers many advantages: it protects your plants from drought, cold, and heat, and also helps to control weeds. Over time, the material decomposes and provides additional nutrients to the flowers.

Suitable materials for mulching include bark mulch, wood chips, lawn clippings, straw, or leaves. But be cautious: not every plant likes a soil covering. If you use bark mulch, you should also provide the plants with an organic fertilizer such as horn shavings because during the decomposition process, the material depletes nitrogen from the soil.

The costs for your flower bed depend on both its size and your level of patience. It's most economical if you grow your plants from seeds. However, this can take several months.

If you want to enjoy your flowers and perennials in the coming season, you'll need to buy young plants. The costs range from £2–5 per plant. You'll need approximately 5 specimens per square meter. That means you can realize a flower bed for as little as £10 per square meter.

In addition, there are costs for bed edging. Simple lawn edges made of wood or plastic cost between £3–10 per meter. More robust concrete edging stones range from £4–10 per meter.

Depending on the desired stability, you may also need sand and concrete. You can also edge your bed with old bricks, fieldstones, or reclaimed wood. Often, you can even get such materials for free. You can find more upcycling ideas for the garden with us as well.