A visually attractive and easy-to-maintain flower bed is rarely created by simply driving to the garden center and buying the most beautiful perennials there. Instead, careful planning is required so that the overall result makes a harmonious impression and no unsightly gaps form throughout the year.
A well-planned flower bed blooms longer
Criteria for bed planning
Of course, most of the flowers bloom during the summer months, giving you the widest choice here. However, such a summer flower bed can quickly become boring when the plants are not in bloom. For this reason, criteria such as the growth height and width as well as the flowering time of a plant are so important. Cleverly combine different species and you will enjoy a green and flowering bed all year round.
Mixed flower beds
This includes, for example, not just sowing annual or biennial summer flowers, but putting together a colorful mix of perennials of different heights and widths, annual and biennial flowers, bulbs and shrubs. The whole thing is rounded off by grasses, evergreen ground covers and ornamental foliage plants with broad, colored leaves. Such a bed offers an exciting sight at any time of the year and also changes its character depending on the season.
Attractive beds all year round
In spring, typical spring bloomers such as tulips, daffodils, squills or buttercups compete for attention with small fruit trees, service pear or cornel - provided there is enough space in the bed. After these have faded, the summer flowers gradually open their calyxes, leaving behind a lushly blooming bed at the height of the season. Towards the end of the summer, this bloom is reduced, so that autumn bloomers such as chrysanthemums, autumn asters and stonecrops come to the fore together with ornamental foliage plants. In winter, the bed with typical winter bloomers such as the Winterling, Winter Jasmine and Snowball, combined with evergreen plants, provides a welcome dash of color in the dark season.
Harmonious arrangement
But the flowers and perennials are not only selected according to the flowering period. Important criteria for a harmonious arrangement are, for example, also
- Flower colors: single color, two to three color or variegated flower beds
- Growth heights and shapes: always combine different tall and wide-growing plants
- Leaf size and color: in addition to the flowers, you should not neglect the different leaf shapes
High-growing perennials such as delphiniums, peonies or phloxes always belong in the center of the bed and are planted towards the back. They are flanked by medium-tall perennials such as cranesbill, which are intended to close gaps. These two species should have similar flowering times and should also harmonize with each other in color. Do not plant single specimens, but rather small groups of three to seven plants. Plant compact, long-flowering plants at the edge of the bed. Also combine different planting heights and widths with each other: A bushy plant should always be next to a slender perennial.
tips
A small tree or shrub is often very attractive as the center of a round flower bed: Small fruit or ornamental fruit trees are particularly suitable for this.