Flower Planting Tips

I live in a house with very little outdoor space, but I still wanted to grow some of my own food, so I started a container garden on my patio a few years ago. The first year was a steep learning curve with a lot of trial and error, but I've learned a lot about growing vegetables in containers and believe it's a valuable skill for everyone to have. I started this blog to share what I've learned and provide tips for making the most of the outdoor space you have. You'll find posts on a range of topics, such as the nutrients required for healthy vegetable plants, how to prepare your soil, companion planting for natural bug control and succession planting to grow more vegetables in the space you have available. I hope you enjoy my blog.

Flower Planting Tips

14 September 2020
 Categories: Home & Garden, Blog


Flowers are an essential feature of your landscape. Other than enhancing your curb appeal, they make your property stand out and attractive to buyers. Below are some flower planting tips to ensure a healthy garden. 

Conduct a Soil Test

A soil test will help you establish the drainage, pH, and nutritional content of the soil. Purchase a soil testing kit at your florist or landscaper's store. They are easy to use and will give instant results. Most flowers will grow at a pH of 6.5-7.5. Use limestone to increase the alkalinity of the soil and aluminium sulphate to increase its acidity. Apply natural fertilisers to improve the soil's texture, water-holding capacity and nutritional content.                         

Choosing Suitable Flowers

Annuals are flowers that bloom and die within one year. They are perfect for people who enjoy experimentation. Their downside is that you will have to plant new flowers every year. However, you will enjoy new colour shades on your landscape each year. Annual flowers include marigolds, carnations and snapdragons. Biennials are flowers that blossom and die within two years. These flowers will produce healthy flowers during the second year. Poppies, forget-me-nots and foxgloves are biennial flowers. Perennials will last longer than both biennials and annuals. Most of these flowers will last more than three seasons. They include peony, agapanthus and iris flowers.  

Other than the life cycle of the flower, you also need to consider its colour. Preferably, mix a variety of colours and shades to improve the appeal of the landscape. You could opt for soft-scented flowers if any of your family members are allergic to strong scents. Flowers attract bees. As such, people that are allergic to bee stings could opt for plants that have coloured leaves or flowers that do not attract bees.

Planting Tips

Your landscaper should inspect your landscape to determine which flowers are ideal for your soil and climate. If your landscape has a steep slope, the professional could advise you to plant flowers that have a robust root system. The drainage of your garden could significantly affect the health of the plants. As such, you could install land drainage coils and French drains to prevent waterlogging during heavy rains.

Use indoor flowers to enhance your interior. They include camellia, bromeliads, lipstick plants, orchids and Africa violets. 

Improve the appeal of your landscape with a wide variety of flowers. When planting flowers, conduct a soil test, choose suitable flowers and observe the recommended planting tips.