Planning flower bed arrangements for a stunning display of radiant colors is an exhilarating way to start the new year. Long, cold winter days find many of us curled up by the fire dreaming of spring. We can’t wait for early signs of the season to get out and run our fingers through the soil.
One way to overcome the January doldrums is by looking through the new year’s seed and plant offerings. Many publications showcase the season’s latest varieties right after the holidays. While some folks may prefer online browsing, the day just melts away when thumbing through a good old-fashioned catalog.
Visualizing Flower Bed Arrangements
Beautiful pictures, accompanied with full descriptions, brighten even the coldest winter days. Most seed and plant companies offer tips on how to grow the flowers. These product guides advise seed planting recommendations, plant growth expectations, sun requirements, and other helpful information.
In addition, be sure to check out the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to learn more about which plants grow in your region.
Visualizing flower beds in full summer bloom is easily accomplished by looking through a company’s offerings. Here’s a list of reputable seed and plant companies displaying stunning flower seeds and plants to help plan this season’s beds.
- Burpee Seeds & Plants
- Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
- Annie’s Annuals & Perennials
- Johnny’s Select Seeds
- Territorial Seed Company
- Park Seed
- White Flower Farm
- Spring Hill Nurseries
- Breck’s
- Michigan Bulb Company
- Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Company
- Select Seeds
Incorporating Perennials and Annuals in Flower Bed Arrangements
All flowering plants share the same goal of producing flowers in their lifecycle. Some only grow for one season and then die off with the first frost. Better known as annuals, these plant species have a built-in time clock to develop, produce seed, and die off in one season. However, sometimes seeds scatter from annual plants after they reproduce. Often, the tiny seeds will lie dormant during the winter months, sprouting when the soil warms in the spring.
On the other hand, some flowering plants need the chill from the ground in the winter months to hibernate. As temperatures warm up, they begin producing vegetative growth as the plant signals it’s time to wake up. Perennials generally come back year after year, unless something causes unforgiving stress the previous season, such as drought, heat intolerance, or lack of water.
Having a mix of perennials and annuals builds an ever-changing flower bed. While the perennial plants will come back the same each year, mixing up different annuals each season presents an entirely different look to the landscape. With thousands of unique annual varieties to choose from, diverse colors, shapes, and smells create a new environment for the perennial plants each year.
Where’s the Sun?
Planning flower bed arrangements often depend upon the amount of sunlight the area receives during the day. Sun-loving annuals such as petunias, zinnias, and marigolds withstand long hot summer days much easier than we do. Big Root Geraniums, Creeping Phlox, and other ground covering plants spread quickly as the temperatures rise. And then, there are the sunflowers. These hardy plants worship the sun as they face its movement across the sky during the day.
On the other side of the light spectrum, some flowering plants prefer less sun and cooler environments to perform their best. Begonias, impatiens, and fuchsia varieties need cooler, shady spots, offering variety to flower beds with little sunlight. Knowing how much sunlight a particular flowering plant requires helps determine the location to plant it in.
Also, consider that the sun moves to the north until summer solstice and then backtracks to the south to finish the season. While a particular flower bed may get radiant sun in the early spring months, shadows and other plant growth within the same bed may change light availability later in the season.
Showcase the Seasons When Planning Flower Bed Arrangements
A great way to amplify a flower bed is to incorporate different plants whose lifecycles depend on the season. For instance, early spring bulbs begin emerging as soil temperatures warm up. Tiny hyacinth, crocus, and snowdrop are a welcoming delight to a new year in the garden. Colorful tulips, vibrant daffodils, and striking iris colors follow close behind.
As seasonal perennials start to sprout from the ground, look for delicate hellebore, lively primrose, and vibrant peonies to begin brightening up the bed. When early spring flowers start dying off, planting summer annuals and fall-blooming plants guarantee a colorful display all season.
For example, with over a dozen types of lilies to choose from, these hardy plants present a delightful array of different colors, stem heights, and bloom times. Incorporating a variety of chrysanthemums, helenium, and the beautifully colored heuchera extend the beauty of the bed well into the fall months. Planting seasonal flowering varieties showcases a blooming display of color the entire season.
Sizing Up the Flower Bed
When planning flower bed arrangements, knowing how big a plant will grow helps determine where to place it in the garden space. Of course, it makes sense to plant tall varieties in the back of the bed, but also consider how bushy the plants will become.
For example, a small nursery plug of marigold or nasturtium planted in late spring initially looks very small. But as the plants take off in the summer months, they encompass a wide span in the garden. Visualizing how a flowering plant will fill out helps determine how far apart to plant them.
In addition, knowing how tall a buddy beauty will grow presents another thought – light. Often, towering flowers such as sunflowers and hollyhocks create shadows during the day, depending on the bed’s location to the sun.
Sometimes, it’s a good thing as the shadows provide a respite from blazing sun rays. On the other hand, sun-dependent flowers may not have enough light resulting in slow, stunted growth. Knowing the different flowering plant’s growth characteristics helps determine where to plant them in the bed.
Supporting the Pollinators When Planning Flower Bed Arrangements
Showcasing a beautiful array of flowering plants is not only a wondrous sight to behold, but it also provides an oasis for pollinating insects and birds. Spending time in a flower garden reveals a very active environment for winged creatures. Busy honeybees gather pollen to take back to the hive, providing a food source for the colony.
Additionally, butterflies and hummingbirds search for flowers to provide sweet nectar to sustain their lives. As a crucial benefactor of nature, growing a diverse flower arrangement supports these little creatures’ existence.
Waiting on Spring
With January behind us, and February flying by, it won’t be long before new life begins as spring ushers in. Planning now for the coming season’s flower beds is a great way to chase away the winter blues. More importantly, it provides a head start on spring planting with an excellent floral design layout.
Hang on. Spring is coming!
