How to Keep a Flower Garden Beautiful
Creating a beautiful flower garden requires a lot of planning, work and dedication but when you finally have the feeling that every flower is at the right place you know that you have succeeded. It is the moment when you realize that you have created your dream garden. However, the work in your flower garden does not end here. On the contrary, you need to maintain your flower garden if you want it to remain perfect.
The first two years are always the most difficult. Unless you have hired an expert to do all the planning and planting you will most likely spend few more years to find the perfect spot for every flower and create an outdoor oasis. Not feeling quite satisfied with the overall appearance of the flower garden is how most gardeners feel during the first two years and there is no need to give up if it did not turn out as you have imagined. Some of the most beautiful gardens you most likely admire in gardening magazines and websites have not been created overnight. For that reason you should replant flowers if you think that they may look better on another place, add a new flower bed, replace some flowers with new ones, etc. Meanwhile make sure that you keep your flower garden well maintained.
How much time you will need to spend for basic maintenance works in your flower garden depends on several factors including the flowers you have planted and your climate. However, you will not be able to avoid weeding. Removal of the weeds and keeping grass of the flower beds is one of the least pleasant garden works but it is a must if you want to keep your garden beautiful. Weeds do not just spoil the beauty of a flower garden but they also “steal” your flowers the necessary nutrients and sunlight. Weeding may seem a never ending task and as soon as you complete the last inch of the garden you can start all over again. However, there is a good news when it comes to weeding. Over time, weeds become a lesser problem and you will need to spend less time to remove these unsightly “intruders”. However, it is crucial to remove them regularly to prevent them to produce seeds.
More or less regular watering is another important thing that will help you keep your flowers beautiful and healthy, especially during hot summer days. How frequently to water your flowers depends on which flowers you have planted and your climate. It may be helpful to keep a gardening journal, especially if you have many different flowers to make sure that each flower has the required amount of moisture. Keep in mind that the best time to water your flowers is early in the morning and late in the afternoon. You are also recommended to provide shade to flowers that do not tolerate direct sunlight by planting them under a tree or shrub.
Dried leaves and spent blooms do not belong to a beautiful garden and for that reason you should remove or cut back all dead leaves and dead flowers on your perennials. This will not only improve the appearance of your flower garden but will encourage new growth and sometimes even a second blooming. However, do not rush with cutting back. Remove the leaves only when they are yellowish-brown and dried. If you want your perennials to produce seeds you should wait with cutting back until the blooms are completely dry. Invasive perennials, on the other hand, should be cut back as soon as possible.
Over time, the soil gets depleted of nutrients which means that you should add fertilizer to your flowers at least once every two years. There is no need to use chemical fertilizers which have been shown to pollute the underground water. Organic fertilizers or compost provide all the necessary nutrients to your flowers. The same counts for pesticides. Many flowers are vulnerable to aphids, mites and a large number of other harmful insects that deprive the flowers of their beauty. There is no doubt that a good gardener should prevent the pests causing from damage to his/her flowers but the use of chemical pesticides is not the best option. On the contrary, it is the worst possible solution. Chemical pesticides are not only toxic to harmful insects but the good ones too, not to mention the humans. There are many natural and environment friendly pesticides which are just as effective in repelling, mitigating and destroying pests without causing any harm to human health nor the environment.