Gardening How To Garden How to Plant Flowers for a Garden Full of Color in 5 Steps Adding some blooming annuals and perennials is one of the quickest ways to freshen up your yard. By Deb Wiley Deb Wiley Deb Wiley's goal as a writer and editor is to bring the joy of gardening to readers by cultivating their relationship to growing and planting. After 20 years as a newspaper reporter, Deb melded her lifelong passion for gardening with her writing and photography experience when she became the garden editor for Midwest Living magazine. Since starting her freelance career in 2008, she has been a highly sought-after writer, editor, and creative project manager for a wide range of magazines, books, and online garden articles. where she brings personal experience as well as deep connections to specialists in the world of horticulture. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on February 22, 2023 Reviewed by David McKinney Reviewed by David McKinney David McKinney is an experienced plantsman sharing his expertise in horticulture. His knowledge spans landscape management, growing plants indoors and in the greenhouse, ecological plant selection, and much more. With nearly 15 years in the industry, he is well versed in both herbaceous and woody plants with additional interest in entomology. Learn about BHG's Gardening Review Board Share Tweet Pin Email Flowering plants always make your garden look more exciting (and can stop neighbors in their tracks). Perennials dazzle year after year, while annual add blooms almost instantly. Once you've chosen your plants, whether seeds or transplants, there are a few basic steps to get your flowers off to a good start in your yard. First, before you dig, read the tag that comes with your plants or the instructions on your packets of seeds so you can match the plants' needs with the best spots to grow them. Then, if you already have established flower beds, you can easily place new annuals or perennials wherever you need to fill in some holes. Or you can always create a new flower bed to fill with all the beautiful blooms you want to grow. 25 Gardening Tips Every Gardener Should Know What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Digging tool Garden hose or watering can Clippers Materials Compost Seeds or plants Mulch Instructions Choose the Right Place for Flower Planting Do the plants you've picked need sun, shade, or a combination? Start by arranging your plants so they're in a spot where they'll get the kind of light they prefer (plants that like the sun should be out in the open, plants that need shade should go in a spot where they'll have some cover). Full sun is six hours or more of direct sun per day, not necessarily continuously. Part shade typically means four to six hours of sun per day. Shade definitions vary depending on how deep the shade is. Dappled shade gives a lot more light than deep shade, for example. Add Compost to the Soil Beautiful flower gardens start with healthy soil. Generally, most flowering plants do best in loose and well-drained soil with a lot of organic material. You don't need to dig a large area for flower planting, but you should dig enough soil to add some compost to improve the soil structure and add nutrients. Avoid digging or handling soil when it's wet to prevent compaction. Plants need a certain amount of space between soil particles for roots to grow. One test is to dig a small soil sample from a 3-inch hole to see if soil can be worked. Squeeze it into a ball, then toss the soil onto a hard surface such as a rock or pavement. If the soil stays together, it's too wet for planting, but it's time to plant if it shatters. Brie Passano Plant Your New Flowers The steps for planting a flower garden from seeds differ slightly from nursery plants. Follow the directions on the seed packet to know how deep and far apart to plant each seed. With potted garden plants, you should usually plant with the soil at the same level as the soil in the pot, but read the plant tag to be sure. Some flowering plants, such as irises and peonies, prefer their rhizomes and roots to be planted very shallowly. When removing the plant from the pot, gently tease some or all of the soil from the roots. Then place the plant into the hole you've prepared. Push the soil back into the hole, firming it gently but not packing it down. How to Build a Flower Bed to Suit the Space You Have Water Deeply and Add Mulch Thoroughly soak the soil around your newly planted flowers. Garden flowers generally need 1 to 2 inches of moisture every week to perform well, so water if you don't receive enough rain. It's best to water deeply and less frequently than shallowly and more often to allow the roots of the plants to grow deeper. Avoid keeping soil waterlogged, or the roots of your flowering plants may rot. A layer of mulch, such as shredded bark, around your new plants will help slow evaporation and reduce how often you need to water. Deadhead and Groom Your Flowers Feel free to cut flowers for bouquets as your plants begin blooming. Clip off the spent flower heads to encourage the plant to put more energy into its foliage and winter survival. Some flowers, including zinnias, dahlias, and others, bloom again when you remove the blooms. Clip or pull any brown foliage for a cleaner look. Daylilies, in particular, benefit from the removal of old leaves. Frequently Asked Questions What's the easiest flower to add to my garden? There are plenty of easy-to-grow flowers to choose from. You'll need to be sure the flowers you pick will get the right amount of shade or sun they need. Some easy flowers to grow and care for include sunflowers, pansies, marigolds, and impatiens. Are perennial or annual flowers better for my garden? The best is a combination of both. Annuals live only for one season but flower profusely compared to long-lasting perennials, which may flower for only a brief period each season. Plan a variety that showcases annuals and perennials to keep colors blooming all season.