Are you interested in starting your first garden? In this easy guide, I’ll explain how to create a beautiful garden with low maintenance. Gardening can seem overwhelming, especially if you have no experience. The terms alone can scare somebody away. Don’t worry, I got you!
Here’s some common gardening terms to help with understanding the basics.
- ANNUAL: Plants that bloom for one season and do not come back the next year.
- PERENNIAL: Plants that will come back year after year.
- PART SUN: A plant that needs sunlight but not direct sunlight. Morning sun and afternoon shade is best for plants that require this lighting.
- GARDENING ZONE: Plants that thrive in certain geographical areas.
- DEADHEADING: Removing dead flower heads. This shapes the plant and encourages more growth instead of sending energy to the dead flower.
- COMPOST: Rotted organic matter. This is gold and provides nutrients to plants.
- BAREROOT: When buying this from a store, it’s a plant with no growth and the roots are shown.
- BULB: Roundish in shape, these can be planted deep in the ground and they will come back year after year.
- MULCH: Typically bark, added to gardens that protects the plants.
ANNUALS
A simple way to starting your first garden is with annuals. These plants are beautiful and create dreamy gardens. The only catch is once the plant dies, that’s it. They do not come back the next year. But this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them year after year. Once the plant dies, harvest the seeds and you can enjoy them again next year.
WHAT PLANTS ARE ANNUALS?
Most vegetables are annuals. Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peas, carrots, and peppers. Some herbs are too, like basil, cilantro, dill, marjoram, and parsley. Some herbs are perennials too (they are in the next section). Here is a list of annuals I personally love:
- BEGONIAS: part sun
- CALIFORNIA POPPY: full and part sun
- COSMOS: full sun
- GERANIUMS: full and part sun
- IMPATIENS: part and full shade
- MARIGOLDS: full sun
- SNAP DRAGONS: full sun
- SUNFLOWERS: full sun
- PANSIES: full and part sun
- PETUNIAS: full and part sun
- ZINNIAS: full sun (pictured above)
PERENNIALS
My favorite plants personally! I love making the flower beds around my house with perennials.
- ASTIBLE
- BLACK EYED SUSAN
- CHRYSANTHEMUM
- BLEEDING HEART
- CONEFLOWER
- DAISIES
- FLOWERING HIBISCUS
- HOSTA
- HYDRANGEA
- LAVENDER
- LILAC
- PHLOX
- ROSES
- SALVIA
- YARROW
BULBS
Starting your first garden with bulbs is an easy way to add beauty with no maintenance. The only thing with bulbs is planting them is not instant gratification. Once planted, you have to wait a season or two until they bloom. But it is worth it when they bloom.
Plant these bulbs in the fall:
- BEARDED IRIS
- BLUEBELL
- DAFFODIL
- HYACINTH
- SNOWDROP
- TULIP
PREPARING THE GARDEN
This is the biggest part many overlook, especially if you’re new to gardening. But without preparing the ground, your plants could die. This can be discouraging.
First, pick a spot that get’s a lot of afternoon sun. When you get to picking plants, avoid plants like bleeding heart, hosta, impatiens, or pansies. These plants will not do well in full sun during the hottest time of the day.
Then to prepare the bed, if one isn’t already there, get rid of the grass by using a shovel. A little manual labor is worth it for a beautiful garden bed.
Add a layer of top soil and rake it in. Now you’re ready to plant. If using a raised bed, only add top soil, compost and/or potting mix.
GARDEN DESIGN
I created a simple guide to help you with deciding what to plant and where. Check it out here.
MAINTENANCE
Once planted add a thick layer of hardwood mulch, then water. If it rains, then you can skip that day. Otherwise, water newly planted flowers once a day.
OTHER GARDEN PLANTING IDEAS
Have begonias or impatiens in pots on a covered porch.
Plant petunias in hanging baskets.
Place hostas under a tree with bulbs.
SHARE THIS POST
I want to hear all about your gardening adventures. Remember to have patience. Learning how to garden is trial and error, so don’t give up because something dies. Try again.
Let me know in the comments how your garden is.
Sincerely,
Chelsea