Spring, my absolute favorite season, is officially here in all of its colorful glory! It’s time to shake off your heavy winter coats and layers and exchange them for short sleeves and a stylish jacket for those breezy nights. It’s the perfect attire for a relaxing afternoon or evening in your backyard garden! If you’re ready to make your yard the most vibrant and lush on the block, we’ve got plenty of DIY landscape tips, as well as ideas for flowers that add plenty of color to your garden.
Add Layers to Your Flowerbed
When you start planning your flowerbed, it’s a good idea to think in layers. Specifically, it’s a great look to have the tallest plants in the back, medium-height plants in the middle, and the shortest blooms or greens in the front. Taking this tip one step further, you can use repetition across your yard to lend your landscaping a more uniform look.
Don’t Forget About the Hardscape Aspect of Landscaping
There’s something about hardscaping that brings your landscaping efforts full circle. What’s hardscaping? It’s adding fencing and walls to your property. You can also trace a path through your garden to truly bring the experience together through a sort of guided tour. Other examples of hardscaping include decks, patios, and water features.
Note that you do not have to spend a lot of money on hardscaping, nor do you have to rely solely on a professional to handle the task. You can lay down gravel, crushed stone, or stone slabs to create a path through your garden. You can also install a clay pot fountain for a nice water element.
Throw in Some Texture and Form
True, generous sprays of color make for a great looking garden, but it’s good to give the eyes a break and balance out the look and feel of your landscape. Evergreens and conifers go a long way in giving your property some texture and form. Look for conifers and evergreen plants that would look right at home in your chosen garden design, and be sure you read up on how to care for your greenery. That way, you know how much work they need to always look their best.
Opt for Plants That Can Withstand the Heat
Think ahead with your spring garden. You don’t want all your hard work to wilt and dry up when the summer heat comes on. Think of adding a few plants that are resistant to drought. That way, your garden won’t go from dramatic to drab when temperatures start heating up.
Get on Dat Tulip Tip
Moving on to some of the most colorful flowers you can add to your garden, you cannot go wrong with tulips. No matter if it’s a cool spring or a dry summer, tulips are able to thrive in almost any conditions (just like the queer community). Tulips come in lots of different shades, so feel free to go crazy when it’s time to decide on a color palette.
Divine Dahlias
Take one look at dahlias and you’re sure to want to add them to your spring spread. Like tulips, the spike-tipped blooms come in a variety of hues. No matter which color you choose, just make sure you grow them in well-watered soil, a sunny area of your yard, and easy temperatures.
Lazy Lilacs
Get the scent you miss with dahlias by planting lilacs. Besides adding color, lilacs can also send the invitation for butterflies to come to visit your garden, adding another layer of visual interest. Don’t have the greenest of green thumbs? Not to worry, the lilac can do bad all by its damn self … and by “bad,” I mean “good.” The flower doesn’t need much in the way of maintenance, and they’re simple to grow.
Alluring Azaleas
No Southern garden is complete without Azaleas. It’s best that you plant these colorful blooms in partial shade and well-drained acidic soil. A word of caution: These bad boys are highly toxic, so handle them with utmost care, and keep them away from children and pets.
Now that you’ve gotten several great ideas to keep you and your garden busy this spring, get to work! You know you’ve done a great job when you’ve made the neighbors sickeningly jealous.