How to Make a Flower Bed in a Lawn

Having a lawn is nice, but having a flower bed in a lawn is a dream. It adds beauty and character to your garden and can be customised the way you want: round or square, small or large, flat or raised, and so on.

However, flower beds do require some planning and physical labour. In order to know what to do and how to prepare, follow the steps below.

What You Need:

• Flat shovel
• Watering can
• Fertilisers
• Spray paint/garden hose/white flour
• Tiller
• Rake
• Wheelbarrow
• Mulch

What You Need to Do:

Step One: Pick the Location

If you think that you can pick any random location for a flower bed, you’re mistaken. You need to choose a noticeable location to make it worth it and make sure that you never abandon it. 

Also, you need to observe sunlight and how it falls on the location because flowers have different light needs that you must keep in mind. This information will help you choose the location and flowers.

Step Two: Make the Outline

Now that you have chosen a suitable location, you need to pick the shape of the borders, whether it’s curved or straight, and so on. 

Next, outline the borders before you start digging. There are many objects that you can use to mark your borders, such as spray paint, garden hose, or white flour.

Step Three: Remove the Turf

Water the soil to soften it and prepare it for the next steps. Then, get your flat shovel and divide your turf into sections to make the removal easier. Now, push the shovel vertically a few centimetres deep, and remove the turfgrass pieces. Make sure you remove the roots too.

You can bring your wheelbarrow or any vehicle that will move the pieces somewhere else to use them in composting or as lawn patches where needed.

Step Four: Prepare the Soil

At this point, you’re very likely to find perennial weeds. Remove them either by hand or a specialized tool. Now, use a tiller of your choice to turn the soil over, break it up, and loosen it. Then, use a rake to level the soil.

Step Five: Amend the Soil

Now that you have a blank canvas, you need to amend the soil to make it suitable for flowers. Add your compost, fertilisers, dead leaves, and peat moss to enrich your flower bed and have blooming flowers in no time.

Then, turn the soil again to mix your organic material into the soil. Next, level the soil one more time.

Step Six: Add Your Flowers

The time has come to prepare for the flowers themselves. Dig holes that are large enough for each flower and its roots, then water the holes. Now, add the plants in their holes. Add some mulch over the soil to avoid any air pockets. Finally, water the flowers.

Final Thoughts

A flower bed is the greatest addition to your lawn, but you don’t want to rush into it. There is some thinking and work that you need to do. If you prepare well, the results will be breathtaking. So, follow our steps and enjoy your flowers.

Mary

Mary shares a passion for gardening with her husband John, though she is more focused on growing veg on their allotment at St. Margaret’s Allotments, Durham. Mary also works in the lawn care industry and manages the lawns for the Durham University campus.