You guys, I've done it. I've started my first flower garden in my back yard. (Insert happy dance!) This is going to be an "over time" project, but I have to say, I am elated that it has even started. Let's back up a bit, shall we? Growing up, I remember my moms vegetable garden. She stared when I was in 6th or 7th grade, and by the time I was finishing college, her garden had grown from one box to three or four! It just expanded more and more each year and she really loved keeping it up. When she moved houses, she started another. Every summer when I go and have lunches or dinners there, the entire salad (literally all the ingredients) are grown in her yard. How amazing is that? I always said I too would take up gardening one day, and no time like the present! I do have interest in growing a vegetable garden, but what my soul craves is flowers.... lots of beautiful, colorful flowers!
SHOP SUPPLIES:
I have done a good amount of research and decided to turn my gardening journey into a" how-to" for you guys. I mean, why should we all fumble through it when you guys can learn from my trial and error? So here are the first steps to creating your very own flower garden.
1) Pick a spot, any spot: My backyard is wide open, but on one end, we share a wall with our neighbors. This space has full sun all day, but because we have big windstorms in the winter months (a few in the summer too), I though backing it up to the wall would be best. Plus Now I have the length of the wall to grow and build upon year after year! It was meant to be.
1) Pick a spot, any spot: My backyard is wide open, but on one end, we share a wall with our neighbors. This space has full sun all day, but because we have big windstorms in the winter months (a few in the summer too), I though backing it up to the wall would be best. Plus Now I have the length of the wall to grow and build upon year after year! It was meant to be.
2) Make it a family affair: The day of, the entire family packed up and went to buy supplies. I choose an easy-to-assemble flower box set and the hubby and kids helped while we loaded two cars full of everything we would need. (We also picked up mulch for around our home & garden area..hence two cars.) ;) The kids will be out watering with me at days end and I can see myself asking my daughter to go cut flowers with me to display in the house. We choose the materials together, we built the garden together, it's a family affair!
3) Build and secure your garden: My daughter and I were in-charge of this step. First off, the kit I picked was so easy to assemble (score!). We took turns putting our sides in and built the frame, one side at a time. I realized that although adding the dirt will help hold this structure in place, it's better to be safe then sorry. I purchased these hooks (and these) to secure the flower box in place.
*We built our garden on a warm day in late April. That way as soon as the ground stops freezing (after May 12th), I could start the planting process whenever I was ready.
*We built our garden on a warm day in late April. That way as soon as the ground stops freezing (after May 12th), I could start the planting process whenever I was ready.
4) Prepare your area: Remove the sod, line the ground with weed barrier (don't skip this step, it's so helpful!), and add soil. To save a bit of cash, I added a less expensive soil on the bottom few layers and then better, more expensive soil to the top. I do plan to add this fertilizer soon so I get the best possible results. I plan to plant a lot of perennials and I really want them to come back bigger and better each year. A great way to guarantee that is to make the soil nutrient rich.
OK, so that is it for part one of this post. Up next, I need to map out which flowers I want to plant where, stain the wood of my flower box to match my deck, and then I finally get to start planting. I wanted to wait until late May, early June to begin the next steps as right now it's rainy each day and colder at night. Plus, I can't stain my flower box until that wood is dry. Since it has been raining daily, I need to give it a few days in the sun prior to applying the satin. In unrelated news, here is my gardening outfit:
Jacket: c/o Silver Jeans// Tank & Jeans: c/o // Shoes: Toms (old) // Hat
Do you have a garden in your yard? Do you have any pointers for me? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas! Make it a great day, you are the only one with that power. xoxo
Do you have a garden in your yard? Do you have any pointers for me? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas! Make it a great day, you are the only one with that power. xoxo
SHOP THE LOOK:
No comments:
Post a Comment