25 Colorful Flower Bed Ideas for Your Prettiest Yard Yet
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When the first day of spring arrives, the first thing you want to do is head outside and enjoy the warm, sunny weather. And if you're anything like Ree Drummond, a landscaping plan must include flowers. "I can't remember a time when I didn't love flowers," Ree Drummond admits. "After living in the country with Ladd for the first few years of marriage, my appreciation for flowers went to a whole new level. I gardened, researched seeds, and grew endless varieties of roses, sunflowers, dahlias, zinnias, rudbeckia, and echinacea." So if you, too, are looking for inspiration, browse these flower bed ideas ahead.
Whether you prefer annuals or perennials or a mix of both, you'll find fun ideas to trim your space to keep it nice and tidy like rock walls and cute stone paths. You can also repurpose your existing fence as a guide on where to plant! Speaking of repurposing, you'll find plenty of ideas on using fun decorative items that you might already have. (Just wait until you see the wagon wheel.) There are also ways to add height if you lack space or want to add more like trellises and raised beds, which are also great if your soil quality isn't quite what it should be. Just make sure you check out your plant hardiness zone before you start (they've changed recently, FYI) and refresh your gardening tools. Because while these flower beds are easy to master and help your plants thrive, you want to make sure you're choosing the right blooms for the job.
Frame a Sidewalk
If you already have a sidewalk, it makes the easiest guide to plant and maintain. It makes a very welcoming pathway to all your guests, too!
Create Your Own Path
If you don't already have a sidewalk, create your own! Adding a stone pathway helps you design the flow of the space and keeps everyone from trampling over the pretty blooms, too.
Divide by Color
There are several ways to approach your color scheme. One is to divide your garden or landscape up into segments by color, adding endless visual interest.
Go Monochrome
Another idea is to keep your flower beds monochrome. This is great if you have a favorite color and want to proudly display it. Don't worry too much about the shades of each type of flower. The overall effect is what you're going for.
Go Bold
Hello, world! A mix of bold blooms will make the ultimate statement. It works just as well if you have an understated house or an abode that's just as bright.
Mix Annuals and Perennials
If you're not sure if you want annuals versus perennials, get both! It increases your chances for success just in case one type of flower doesn't work. It also makes next year less work since some will grow back.
Plant a Potager
Do like the French do and combine flowers and vegetables in the same beds. Not only is it visually appealing, but you get two gardens in one!
Add Raised Beds
Raised beds of any kind can add visual interest. They also increase your chances for success because you can choose the soil you use and any nutrients that might help them grow better.
Add Decorations
We told you there would be a wagon wheel! How cute is this idea? It's a great way to use items you may already have and to add interest and personality.
Add Colorful Pots
To add even more color, add some bright pots! They can contrast the flowers you're using or match. The options are endless and give you the opportunity to move things around more easily.
Repurpose Planters
Why waste? Reuse what you have like old wheelbarrows, watering cans, buckets, and more to create unique planters that you can use year after year.
Step It Up
One way to add height is to build raised beds that stagger like stairs. This idea works well if you already have actual stairs leading up to your door or a sloping yard.
Get Curvy
Straight lines can be a little boring. Switch it up by adding some curves. They can arch around your house and help fill up a large yard that needs some direction.
Invite Pollinators
Flowers aren't going to thrive if you don't have the pollinators like bees around to do the work for you. If you're feeling adventurous, try building a beehive!
Keep the Pollinators
Maybe a beehive isn't quite your thing. That's okay! Just make sure you plant some flowers that attract pollinators to your yard like these pretty portulacas. They look nice and they help out your entire landscape!
Open the Entryway
There's nothing more inviting than adding a threshold to get to or in between your garden. This will also help if you've got a vast yard that needs a little direction.
Create Hexagons
Beds don't have to be square. Try these hexagonal plots that easily add dimension and aren't super complicated to assemble. They work well for vegetables, too, if you want to update your potager.
Go Round
Another idea is to plant in a big circle! You can get fancy with some shrubbery to enclose your floral display, but this would also work if you just want to use rocks from around the yard for quick fix.
Build a Border
Rocks can really do a lot of work! A simple stack of flat rocks add a clean yet not overly rigid border to your space. They also prevent the lawn mower from accidentally clipping your plants!
Frame Your Windows
Your landscape doesn't need to stop on the lawn! Using window boxes gives you an easy-to-tackle finite space and an excuse to plop some annuals in them and be done in a jiffy.
Add Some Height
The sky is limit! Okay, so the trellis you purchase and the types of flowers you grow on it will actually be the limit, but you know what we mean. This is great for small spaces if you want maximum blooms.
Use Your Fence
Do you have a fence already? Great, then a bunch of the work planning on where to plant is already done for you. Fences are natural boundaries and add pretty backdrops.
Add Hanging Baskets
Another way to aim high is to hang some baskets. They are often sold already assembled so it's as easy as hooking them on your roof or porch.
Add Mulch for Contrast
Mulch helps conserve water and protect soil. It also comes in lots of fun shades, so you can add color and an easy, cost-effective border around your plants.
Take a Seat
What's the use in planting all those pretty flowers if there's no easy way to admire them? Adding a bench or some chairs invites you and your guests to enjoy the view and relax in the sunshine.
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