A Guide to Create an Easy, Beautiful Flower Bed

Do you LOVE flowers? I adore them. Do you love easy care, no nonsense color? Do you not have much of a green thumb? Never fear there is a simple solution to making a dazzling flower bed without a lot of work.

I have some space dedicated to flowers only. I have several goals for this space.

1. Be beautiful!
2. Have blooming flowers for as much of the summer/fall as possible
3. Easy care

I’ve toyed with the idea of planting some perennials in this space. In the long run Lillies, Daisies, or Hydrangeas would be easier. With those plants it’s more about trimming and weeding than planting.

My problem? I love so many flowers and always feel like planting perennials is committing to a limited number of varieties. I don’t want to start seeds inside, and I don’t want to spend the money on plants all ready growing at the nursery. So, this space is where I put annuals grown from seeds. I try to change it up every year and I have slowly found some favorite flowers.

For example: Zinnias. I can’t live without them. They bloom mid July-Sept here and attract butterflies and bees. There are an endless variety of colors and they start super easy from seed. Just put them in the ground after the first hard frost and keep moist for a few days and wham. Amazing color and fabulous cut flowers.

This year, I hit the jackpot. Without trying I planted an easy, beautiful flower bed.

Step 1: Stumble upon Eden Brothers seed website.

Step 2: Drool over all the annual seed mix packets.

Step 3: Weep over not having made a bigger flower bed.

Step 4: Purchase Burst Of Bloom Annual Seed Mix

Step 5: in mid April when the ground unfroze rake beds lightly

Step 6: add a layer of compost to bed

Step 7: Pour seed pack into mason jar half full of sand

Step 8: Shake well (with lid on)

Step 9: Evenly sprinkle seed/sand over beds rake lightly

Step 10: Watch beautiful flowers grow all summer!!!

Easy mixes like this one, or wildflower mixes or poppy mixes are an easy way to get lots of dazzling color out of your garden for the whole summer. Best of all, I can pick a new one next year and have a whole new look to my garden. Be careful though, when they first came up I had no idea which plants were weeds and which were flowers. I accidentally pulled up some poppies thinking they didn’t belong. Finally, I promised myself I’d STOP weeding the bed and so far that has been working great. Lots of flowers!

What is your favorite way to brighten up your flower beds?