Flowers are one of the best parts of landscaping, as they add color and beauty to your yard in a way that really nothing else can. However, for half of the year or so, most yards in Illinois are covered with snow. So that gives you about six months to enjoy beautiful flowers. When do flowers bloom? If you could plant your yard in such a way that you could enjoy practically year round flowers, you would! Learn how to plan your blooms so that your yard can be even more beautiful and enjoyable for all parts of the year. You won’t believe the difference!
Perennial vs. Annual Flowers
One important thing to understand before planting flowers in your yard is that there are two basic types of flowers: perennials and annuals.
Perennials
Perennials are a kind of flower that blooms every year, without the need for replanting. These have to last three years to be considered perennial flowers. Most of the time, these need to be planted in the fall so that they can bloom in the spring. However, while perennials bloom every year, they tend to only bloom for a short period of time, usually about one month. Some perennials last longer, but some of them require more care.
Annuals
Annual flowers bloom only once, but they usually stay in bloom for several months. These need to be replanted each year. They are usually bright and beautiful flowers that add a pop of color to any yard, and they can stay in your yard throughout the spring and summer. Biennials are a form of annual flower which last for two seasons, but they take two seasons to sprout.
It just takes time and practice planting perennials and annuals to help you have year round flowers! Most gardeners like to have both in their yards, so they can enjoy different kinds and colors of flowers each season.
Planning and Preparing
Planning out your yard’s flowers makes a difference in the end result visually. If you plant all your flowers so they bloom in the spring, but you don’t have any that bloom in summer, your yard might look a little barren when June rolls around. Planning your flowers by month is a great start. There are a few tips and tricks to planning your flowers so that you can have a beautiful blooming yard once spring comes!
Determine Your Space
Take a look at your yard. What spaces do you have available for flowers? Do you have planting boxes or open dirt set apart specifically for flowers? If not, you may need to make space for flowers by preparing an area. You will need to likely remove sod or rocks, place barriers and other weed protection, and prepare drainage for a flower area. You may also need to prepare and mulch the area each year or so. Mulch nourishes flowers and plants, so it is very important. Unless you want to go out to water your plants yourself, you may need to set up watering and drip lines as well. This can be a lot of work, but it is worth it! Especially if you want to enjoy year round flowers.
Flower Design
Once you have a space, think about what kind of design you’d like for your flowers. Consider what colors you would like, and pair them with the other colors in your yard. For example, if you have a blue house and a white fence, you may not want to plant red flowers. You can look at various color schemes and options, as well as flower planting patterns. You might even purchase some garden items such as rocks or statues, or even fountains. You could even add something like a pond. Put your dreams on paper, and find out a basic budget as well. Put together what you’re willing to spend so you know what it will cost to create, maintain, and manage your new beautiful yard.
Planting Your Blooms
So once you have the space prepared and the budget set, it is time to decide what kinds of flowers you are going to purchase. But when do flowers bloom? It depends on each individual strain of flower, so you will have to do your research. If you plan carefully, you can prepare your flowers by month, so you will have flowers all the time. There are a few things you need to consider when planting:
When to Plant
Part of knowing when flowers bloom is when they are planted. If you plant them at the wrong time or in the wrong way, the seeds or bulbs may actually die or rot, so it is important to know when to put them into the ground. If you plant them too early, they may bloom early and die when the weather is still too cold for them to survive. You will want to take this into consideration as you prepare for next year’s garden. Luckily, many plants do best when planted in the fall, so now is the perfect time to start on your garden!
Complimentary Plants
Remember that flowers bloom to different heights as well as different colors. Some flowers like daffodils or tulips are very tall, so you wouldn’t want to plant them in front of smaller plants like violets or crocuses. Some flowers spread out, while others usually only have one or two main stems. You need to take this into account as you plant. Also, create a spread of perennials and annuals so that your flower beds will remain filled with blooms so you can have year round flowers!
Plant Your Dream Garden
While planting your dream garden seems like a lot of work, remember that you can always get a quote to see how much it would cost for professional landscapers to do the job for you. Then you can have the best of both worlds, where you get beautiful flowers and a great yard design without the hard work!
