Grow a Beautiful Garden Full of Flowers
30 guides published
Annuals live one season and flower for a long stretch; perennials return for years with a shorter show. Here is what the labels mean, why they change with climate, and how to use both in one bed.
Turn lawn or tired ground into a bed where flowers root well: test the soil's texture and drainage, clear the grass, loosen the ground, mix in compost and let it settle before you plant.
Learn what full sun, part shade and shade mean on a plant tag, and how to map the hours of direct sun in your own yard with nothing more than paper, a pencil and one clear day.
A plain orientation for your first flower bed: the four decisions that shape most results (sun, soil, climate and plant type) and a simple first-season sequence to follow.
What to pull, what to cut back and what to leave standing after frost, plus watering, bulb planting, winter mulch, lifting tender tubers and storing tools, with notes for mild-winter climates.
A simple routine for the hot part of the year: a regular walk-through to check soil moisture, deadhead, weed, inspect leaves and tie in stems, plus how to read heat stress and tired plants.
A spring task list organized by signals, not dates: what to do while the ground is cold, when the soil is workable, around your last frost date and once nights are mild.
From an empty pot to a full, balanced planting: how to choose a thriller, fillers and spillers, fill the pot, arrange and plant in the right order, and care for the container afterward.
A pick-list of container flowers sorted by light, with each plant's habit, its preference for heat or cool weather and one care note, plus how climate and season change the list.
No bed? Flowers grow well in pots if you choose a container that drains, fill it with potting mix and match plants to your light. Here is what changes when roots live in a pot.
Find out which mulch suits your flower bed, how deep to spread it, when to apply it in your climate, and how to keep it away from stems and crowns so plants stay healthy.
Stop tall and heavy-headed flowers from flopping: how to grow sturdier plants, which support suits which plant shape, and how to set stakes, hoops and twine early so they stay hidden.
A clear guide to removing faded blooms: where to cut, three methods for different plant shapes, which flowers respond, which do not need it, and when to leave seed heads standing.
Learn to water by need instead of habit: how to check soil moisture, why deep watering at the base in the morning works, how to gauge the amount, and how to spot too much water.
Learn how to plan a flower bed that has something open from spring to fall: chart what you grow by bloom period, find the gaps, and fill them with plants and simple techniques.
Plan a long bed along a fence, wall or path: how deep to make it, how to layer plants by mature height, how to group and repeat them, and which edge keeps the lawn out.
