The Flower Garden and Gardening Tips

I could be flip and say why not flower gardens? But, some of you may actually really wonder why spend the time, money and effort in creating a flower garden?

This last question will lead you to your first clue as to why a flower garden. Flower gardening, just like any artistic endeavor, is a creative process in which many people find release for their creative ideas. It's a way of taking the images of the mind and turning them into reality for others to see and appreciate. Gardening is painting on the real world tapestry.

Looking into this main question could lead you to look at the landscaping around your home. Landscaping takes the bare soil around your home and turns it into a haven for the home owner.

Flower gardens comprise an important part of this landscaping. The colors, sizes, shapes, and textures of different flowers off set the monochromatic green that makes up the foundations of most home landscaping. Flowers soften the hardscape of your home and yard. They provide a nice transition from the dirt to the house.

With flowers and flowering plants of all types, you can create a flower garden for just about any type of a yard or house. Too much shade? Put in a shade garden. Romantic? Put in an antique rose garden. Windy plains location? Grow wildflowers perfect for your spot. Drab colors in the housing of your subdivision? Brighten the whole place with your blooming plants.

Then too, flowers can bring some wildlife to your home. Think of all the beautful butterflies you can attract. Or consider planting for hummingbirds. These iridescent creatures are fun to watch as they seem to defy the laws of physics flitting from blossom to blossom. This could become a fascinating pasttime for your children as well as yourself. Depending on your location you could even attract deer and other wildlife.

If you are here reading this lens, you have probably thought about starting a flower garden and are looking for information. Maybe you have already been looking throughout the Internet and are getting a little overwhelmed by all the information. Let's get started with flower gardening by learning about just one or two basics to begin.

Perhaps the first thing you will want to know is what zone you live in. You can check the USDA's Plant Hardiness Zones at http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html. Find where you live and determine your hardiness zone. Some people may also call this your gardening zone.

You will see that the numbers go up the hotter the climate is. Basically what this will let you know is what kind of plants you can grow in your area. If you have had an opportunity to look through a garden catalog or on a packet of seeds, you will see that the zone is usually included. So a quick look will let you know if the plant you are considering might grow in your area.

Now I say "might" because a zone 8a in Tifton GA is not going to produce the same plants as a zone 8a in Las Cruces NM. Such differences can be due to differences in soil, amount of sunshine, amount of rainfall, humidity levels, etc. In this case, Las Cruces is of course more arid than Tifton.

However, you might find that you have a microclimate around your home that allows you to grow plants that might be a zone above or below yours. These things happen naturally and, as you learn more, you will find you can create your own microclimates to enable you to grow more varieties of flowers.

But getting back to basics, for a quick and easy way to see what plants will be best for your flower garden, just go and check out your local garden center. Not only will you get to see the many varieties, some in bloom, you will see what they believe to be the best plants for your area.