Designing a garden bed consists of several key principles.
If you have a house, you likely have a garden bed somewhere on your property. And if you are reading this article, you likely are interested in learning how to develop or spruce one up. Designing a garden bed is like any other art form, implementing the elements and principles of design to achieve a pleasing result. Here are seven aspects on how to design a garden bed.
Less Is More
There are hundreds of thousands of plant species in the world, and there can be many plants we wish we could put in our gardens. While it is possible to put one or two of many plant species in a garden, limiting a garden bed to only a few species will help create cohesion.
Shortest to Tallest
You want to be able to see all the plants in your garden beds, so it is common to layer them according to height. Shortest plants are in the front, medium next, and the tallest in the back or center. You will usually see the tallest plants acting as an anchor, which can be off-center. Sometimes, a tree is the anchor.
Groupings of Three
When designing a garden bed, you don’t want to just buy one single plant and add it to a conglomeration of several other single plants. It is best to buy plants in threes so the area is fuller and the species can stand out. In general, it is best to plant in odd numbers rather than in even.
Formal or Informal
The two broadest types of gardens include formal and informal. This aspect reflects whether the lines are geometric or abstract. A formal garden is very geometric, creating squares, triangles, etc., while an informal design resembles a meadow.
Design by Colors
Colors are another important part of the design. Consider what color scheme might go well with your house, and choose colors that pop or create harmony. Among the plants, choose complimentary, analogous, or triadic colors.
Choosing Plants
Consider what the conditions of your garden bed are as well. You will need to know the soil type, sun exposure, and moisture level of your site. Then you can choose plants that would do best in those conditions.
Preparing the Garden Bed
Preparing your garden bed includes delineating the site, removing excess vegetation, preventing weed growth, and fertilizing the soil. Edward’s Lawn & Home can design and install a beautiful and professional garden for you!
Choose Edward’s Lawn & Home
For the past thirteen years, Edwards Lawn and Home has been offering premier residential and commercial services to improve your property all year long. The options are endless from a new patio to a backyard fire pit, let the winners of Angie’s List Super Service Aware serve you! If you’re interested in finding out more about our services or getting a quote, you can contact us online or give us a call at 443-341-6539. For more information about our services or DIY tips and tricks follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Houzz.