Suburban Gardener—

Starting A Perennial Flower Bed

By Gerry McCabe

Starting a perennial garden need not frighten you. Those elaborate viewing gardens of lore had to start somehow, someway, and their creators had their trials and tribulations as well. Everyone began somewhere. Keep in mind four basic considerations: perspective, light, drainage and size.

First, perspective. Where is the garden going to be viewed from? Your window? The road? Be sure it can be seen, and plan accordingly.

Second, the light. Determine the exposure of the chosen area before you err and plant “shade lovers” in full sun.

Third, drainage. Few plants can grow in waterlogged soil or in pure sand.

And fourth, size. Don’t take on more than you can handle. Small is better at first. Leave room for expansion.

Getting Going

Fall is a good time to begin. Gardening chores are at a minimum and there is time to focus. But if your foresight was not 20/20 last October, start right now before the weather gets so hot you’ll melt.

Use a garden hose to outline the site then trace that outline with ground limestone. Break up the sod by rototilling, spading in and breaking up the sod. Or there is also the easy way: cover the area with a black plastic tarp or 6 inches of fine bark mulch. If you prepare the garden in the fall, leave this in place over the winter. In the spring leave in place and untouched for at least two weeks. The sod will soon die due to lack of light, and then digging will be almost effortless. Remember, if you are not willing to prepare the soil, don’t plant a garden.

“Double dig” the garden well (using large spade, dig into soil double the length of the spade, twice). Check soil pH.

Take a sample to your local Extension Office for best results., and tell them that you are planting a perennial garden. They will give you the exact amounts of sulfur (to lower pH) or lime (to raise pH) to add. Keep in mind that some plants do need specific pH requirements (Acid loving or alkaline loving).

Think of purchasing a good perennial manual as your gardens expand. Amend the soil with compost. Again “double dig” into the top 10 to 12 inches of the bed, mixing the soil and compost well. This will improve water movement and retention while benefiting root growth.

Work in fertilizer according to labeled instructions. It is important to advise here that “more” is not better. Weak, spindly growth and lack of flowers may result.

Be sure the garden surface has no “roller-coaster” dipping spots. Evenly slope it the best you can to avoid a washout of all your hard work. Install edging of your choice for a professional finished look.

Now comes the planting. This can be very individualistic according to taste and theme but in the beginning, basics rule. Flower gardens should be divided into thirds: background, middle area and foreground.

Sketch out your plot and know where you want your tall plants (in the back) and your short plants (in the front). If the garden is wider than five feet, plan for stepping stone maintenance paths throughout the center of the plantings. Nothing can be more frustrating than “tiptoeing through the tulips” to pull that weed and losing your footing. Many a young plant has been beheaded by this lack of foresight.

Make a list of your plants and label them with season of bloom, height, color and texture. Variety is the spice. Interplant perennials with spring bulbs and summer blooming annuals. Plan for continuous color and know when your plants will flower so you are not hiding a primrose behind a mass of daffodils.

Concentrate on mass planting. Resist that urge to buy one of everything. Instead, purchase in multiples and put these plants in groups instead of lining up “little soldiers” all in a row. It sure makes a better visual statement. Unless you want a single plant to be a focal point, repeat these bundles throughout your plan.

When all plants are in place, mulch the garden. Apply 4-6 inches of organic mulch to the bare surface, being careful to keep it away from the crowns of the plants. Pine bark is attractive, holds moisture, keeps soil cool, controls weeds and adds nutrients as it breaks down.

Water your garden in the morning to allowing plants to dry during day to avoid disease, and fertilize during the growing season always according to labeled directions.

Now sit back and enjoy the florescence of your labors. It wasn’t that hard!

(When she isn’t tending to her garden at home, Gerry McCabe spends some of her time continuing her gardening education at Naugatuck Valley College in Waterbury. Gerry can be reached at TNGCATS@aol.com.)