How to Create a Flower Border Garden: A Step-by-Step Guide (Updated 2024)
We are reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
If you’re looking for a way to brighten your home’s exterior, consider planting a flower border garden. These skinny flower gardens can add color and beauty to your home’s dull or broken area.
You can place your border garden in many locations, from around walkways to your home’s exterior or yard.
You can create a unique space for your flowers with just a few steps. We have your step-by-step guide on how to create a flower border garden.
Step 1: Choose Your Location
In landscaping, a flower border garden is a feature that outlines a space, such as your driveway, backyard or home exterior.
When choosing your border garden location, there are a few things you’ll want to consider. Creating the garden means condensing the room you have for activities. Choosing your backyard means taking a few feet away from the perimeter.
Also, choose how high you want your flowers to grow, as they could end up in front of a low window or block driveway visibility.
It’s best to choose an area that needs the upgrade, such as where the grass is dying or where you feel your home needs some aesthetic improvement.
Step 2: Create Your Garden Bed
Once you decide where your border garden will go, you can create your flower bed. To keep your garden neat, create a perimeter of stone or wood. You can find garden stones at your local home improvement store or order them online. For a wood border, you can pickup lumber from your hardware store or use wood recycled from another project.
With a defined border, you can start preparing your garden for flowers.
Step 3: Ready Your Soil
After defining your flower border garden area, you can do a few things to give your flowers the best chance to thrive.
Cut grass on top of your garden as low as possible before laying down old newspaper or cardboard. Leave the materials to smother any weeds or roots before digging the bed.
As you turn over your soil, remove any debris hindering growth. Now is also the time to test your soil to see which nutrients to add.
Once you till your garden, add some potting soil and fertilizer for your chosen flowers. Mix appropriately and cover with mulch.
Step 4: Select Your Flowers
One of the most significant decisions when planning your flower border garden is whether to plant temporary flowers or bulbs.
Bulbs should resprout yearly, while other flowers last the season before dying, allowing you to plant different flowers the following season.
The size of your flowers also matters as you want a garden that fills your border without becoming a mess.
Choose flowers that fit your climate’s hardiness zone to ensure they live throughout the season. You can often find them at local garden centers or nurseries. Read the instructions for each type of flower to ensure that you plant them at the appropriate depth and with the right amount of space around each one.
Tools You’ll Need to Create a Flower Border Garden
Ready to make your floral dreams come true? Gather every tool you’ll need to create a flower border garden so the process is quick and enjoyable.
No-Dig Landscaping Edging
Edging is crucial for any flower garden that isn’t in a raised bed. It prevents your flowers from growing into the rest of your plants or extending into your yard. Place some no-dig edging around where you want to plant your flowers. You’ll have a clear working space in minutes. Just ensure you keep up with your borders by weeding and pruning as necessary.
A Rounded Shovel
You can use almost any shovel to create your border garden, but a rounded tip is more gentle on your soil. Use one to loosen the dirt where your flowers will grow. You won’t have to worry about accidentally tearing up nearby plants or grass because the rounded tip isn’t sharp enough to do as much damage.
Miracle-Gro Garden Soil
Give your flowers the best chance at growing with fertilizer soil. Gardeners everywhere trust Miracle-Gro to feed their plants and help them thrive. You’ll save money because you won’t have to buy an extra bag of fertilizer. You’ll also reduce your project timeline without the added step of putting fertilizer on top of your border garden’s soil.
Assorted Flower Seed Pack
If you already know which flowers you want to grow, get the necessary seeds or seedlings at a nursery. Not sure what you want? Get an assorted seed pack. The varieties will love any full- or partial-sun location, which makes planting easier. Note their watering needs on the pack of each seed packet to give them the best care possible.
Lightweight Garden Hose
Garden hoses can feel heavy. You’ll have to maneuver it around your yard with the added weight of all the water within the hose. Get a lightweight model to minimize your muscle strain. If it has enough footage to reach your garden, you’ll always have water within reach when your plants need a refreshment.
Garden Tool Organizer
You’ll need a place to keep your gardening supplies when you’re not out in your yard. Simplify your organizational process with a garden tool stand. It holds up to 30 tools of all sizes, so you’ll always know where you put your rake, shovel or trowel. It’s also the perfect place to keep your watering can if you prefer using that occasionally alongside your garden hose.
Pruning Shears Set
Flowers need occasional pruning like any other plant. Prepare for those moments with a set of shears. Whether you need to prune the tiniest stems or thick floral branches from a bush of flowers, you’ll have sharp shears ready to handle the job. It’s an essential part of helping your flowers grow back stronger, so don’t forget to add the crucial tool to your list.
Enjoying Your Flower Border Garden
A flower border garden is a great way to beautify any area around your home. Choosing the right location and flowers allows you to enjoy your border garden all season long.
Original Publish Date 11/28/2022 — Updated 9/30/2024
Did you enjoy this post? Join the Renovated community!
A house is more than just where you live. It's where you build a community. We'll give you all the latest trends you need to make your home your haven. Subscribe and never miss out!
About The Author
Evelyn is the founder and editor-in-chief of Renovated with over 5 years of experience researching and writing about home living. Her passion project is writing about the real estate market and home staging. Her other passion projects include reading and exploring Lancaster for the best coffee shops.
Evelyn's work has been featured on National Association of Realtors, McKissock, Insights for Professionals, Appraisal Buzz, and Commercial Truck Trader.
For more articles from Evelyn, you can follow her on Twitter at @renovatedmag.
