Flower bed garden

25 Best Flower Bed Ideas

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Tending a garden is like painting: You start with a blank slate and layer on colors and textures. But unlike painting, no garden is ever really finished.

Like all living things, your garden needs regular tending, and will continue to evolve and change over time. Whether you’ve got a new brand new flower bed you’d like to plant or a more mature garden that could use some sprucing up, there are plenty of ways to update your garden with our flower bed ideas.

The first thing to consider is what kind of light you have so you can choose the right kinds of plants. Watch your yard throughout the day and determine how much light the areas you're planning to use get each day. Most plants are labeled as needing full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight every day) partial sun (about half that) or full shade (little or no direct sunlight).

This changes slightly throughout the growing season, of course. Sunny areas in spring may be shaded by deciduous trees later in the year, or may receive more sunlight as the days lengthen and the sun rises higher in the sky. Remember, too, that morning sun is more gentle while blazing afternoon sun is the most intense.

When choosing a garden plan, remember that you can — and should — think about how the space will look throughout all four seasons. One way to do that is by combining annual flowers that bloom at different times with perennials. (Here's more about the differences between annual and perennial plants.) Adding in shrubs and small trees can take your flower bed from average to show-stopping.

Don't forget to layer your plants, as well! Placing taller plants in back, shorter in front, will offer depth and privacy to your garden.

1

Create Gentle Curves

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This flower bed uses gentle curves to create a shape that naturally draws the eye to the entryway and makes the space feel more welcoming. To achieve this look, lay out a garden hose to outline the pattern first before digging the bed.

2

Use Edging to Define a Space

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Garden beds should have some definition to stand out. This one uses hardscape pavers to create a curving form for a perennial bed. You also could use bricks or stones or pound-in edging.

Read more: 15 Best Garden Edging Ideas for the Most Beautiful Landscaping

3

Incorporate Natural Stone Accents

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This bed is accented with stacks of natural stone, which provide texture and structure. You don't necessarily have to build a wall; one or two well-placed rocks our small boulders add interest to any bed when artistically placed.

Read more: Why You Should Be Using More Stones In Your Garden

4

Mix Annuals, Perennials and Shrubs in Flower Beds

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5

Add Containers to Flower Beds

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Placing containers in planting beds not only offers a splash of color, it provides height. The containers shown here overflow with annuals that can be changed out seasonally, such as pansies for spring or mums for fall.

Read more: 20 Favorite Container Plants and Ideas for Your Potted Garden Oasis

6

Create Whimsical Accents

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A brightly-colored section of fence contrasts beautifully with these annuals, including geraniums and zinnias, and perennials, including heuchera and lilies.

Read more: 21 Best Garden Ornaments That Aren't Gnomes

7

Add Raised Beds

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Raised beds allow you to plant in what may be otherwise unsuitable conditions, such as sandy, rocky or clay soil. They can be a few inches to a few feet tall, which make gardening easier on the back, too.

Read more: 15 Best Raised Garden Beds

8

Plant Edibles and Ornamentals Together

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You don't have to have a dedicated vegetable garden; combine edibles and ornamentals in the same bed for a pretty and practical garden. Here, tomatoes tumble alongside annuals such as flossflower. Flowers also attract and support pollinators, which is essential for some crops such as squash to form fruit. You even can incorporate edible flowers in your garden design!

Read more: 12 Beautiful Edible Flowers for Decorating Your Dinner Plates

9

Add Pollinator Plants

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Tall flowering plants, like those found in meadows, are beautiful and support pollinator insects. While it's not practical to transform your entire yard into a meadow, you can convert a small portion, such as a narrow strip along the driveway or a small border area along your property line.

Read more: 20 Gorgeous Flowering Plants that Will Attract Bees

10

Make a Statement

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Your flower garden is already colorful, but adding an accent piece in an eye-catching hue, such as this sunny-yellow Adirondack chair, puts your personal stamp on it.

Read more: 21 Best Garden Ornaments That Aren't Gnomes

11

Create Height

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12

Construct a Gravel Path...

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Paths don't have to be expensive; even a simple gravel path adds personality to any flower garden setting. It's also a way to encourage visitors to wander through the flowers to enjoy the experience.

13

... Or Make a Natural Stone Path

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Don't want to bother with gravel? This path is even simpler to construct: Natural stones are sunk into mulch or lawn to create an attractive and wending path that makes you want to explore the garden.

Read more: 18 Stone Walkways That Will Beautify Your Yard

14

Shrink Your Lawn

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Instead of a large lawn with a small edge of flowers, consider expanding your beds and leaving just a small portion of lawn to serve as a grass pathway. It looks beautiful, helps pollinators, and with the right blend of plants will actually reduce work: Perennial beds also don't need to be mowed like grass does!

Read more: 25 Best Perennial Flowers and Plants to Make Any Yard Beautiful

15

Mount Window Boxes

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Window boxes are another way to enhance your flower garden. They're also a great alternative if you don't have the space to plant in-ground. Match them to your home's style, as shown here with this picket fence-styled window box on a cottage window.

Read more: 20 DIY Window Boxes to Step Up Your Outdoor Décor

16

Plant in Patterns

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The repetition of plants provides continuous color and flow, which is far more appealing to the eye than one or two plants placed here and there in garden beds.

17

Use Unexpected Containers

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18

Grow a Cut-Flower Garden

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Part of the joy of gardening is adding flowers you can snip and bring indoors. Even a single stem makes a difference! You don't have to create a separate space; just plant many different types of flowers, especially those with nice long stems for cutting, such as peonies, coneflowers, zinnias, and cosmos.

Read more: 60 Best Types of Flowers You Should Have in Your Garden

19

Add Hanging Baskets

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Hanging baskets are another way to provide vertical interest in your garden. They can be mounted to walls, off of decks, or on posts in the garden. Or use a shepherd's hook so you can hang them anywhere you like.

Read more: 16 Best Flowers to Grow in Your Hanging Basket

20

Provide Water and Shelter

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These garden accents are not only adorable, but they also support local wildlife, including pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds. The idea isn't to clutter up the garden, but to use these as practical objects of beauty.

Read more: 12 DIY Bird Feeders That Will Fill Your Garden with Songbirds

21

Create a Seating Area

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Every flower garden, no matter how big or small, should have a seating area where you can stop to enjoy the view. A small cafe table and chairs or garden bench work equally well in any setting.

Read more: 13 Best Lawn Chairs With Retro Charm

22

Use Flowers for Edging

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Plants that spill over the borders of beds to overhang paths make a garden feel so cozy. Choose edging plants that will naturally drape over the path, and plant close to the edges of beds to achieve this effect.

23

Mulch Flower Beds

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Mulch not only keeps down weeds (less maintenance for you!), it conserves moisture so you won't need to water as often. It makes beds appear more neat and tidy, too. Any organic type is fine including cocoa mulch, shredded bark or pine straw.

Read more: How Much Mulch Do I Need? Here's the Easiest Way to Find Out

24

Include Seasonal Color

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Even if you don't have a large flower bed, a pot or two of seasonal color goes a long way to making your outdoor space feel lush. For example, display pansies and violas (as shown here) or flowering bulbs in the spring; begonias in summer; and mums in fall. You even can display potted evergreens in winter.

Read more: 11 Best Spring Bulbs to Plant This Fall for a Beautiful Garden

25

Dress Up Garden Structures

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Even your shed can become part of your flower beds when you dress it up with window boxes and planters. A trellis placed against the sunny side of this shed would be another fun touch to add more color.

Read more: 20 Best Garden Shed Ideas to Inspire Your Next Backyard Upgrade

Arricca Elin SanSone Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more.

25 Beautiful Flower Bed Ideas

His Majesty – the flower bed – is a centerpiece of any yard. These areas designated for growing flowers provide us with months of beautiful colors and scents and let us express our full gardening creativity when bulding them

But an empty bed at the beginning of your planting season can be a real challenge. An empty backyard where the bed is yet to be – even more so. Why?

Well, flower beds are not so easy to plan and build. An image you have in your mind can be drastically different from what you will end up with after digging and planting – especially if you are inexperienced. Personally, it took years before my flower bed started to look like more than just a bunch of pretty flowers that randomly grow on the same patch.

Fortunately, these days you have plenty of resources like this one to inspire you and help you find something that suits your taste.

In this article, you will find a selection of classic ground-level beds of various styles, as well as raised beds – including many ideas for upcycling.

Before diving into the imaginative world of classic flower beds, let’s learn something about bed edging – a very important element of any flower bed design.

Flower Bed Edging Examples

A flower bed edge will define the look of your flower bed almost as much as vegetation it will contain. The shape of your garden could also depend on the edging style, and vice versa. That is why it is important to consider all options that are available. Here are some of the most common ones.

No Edging

Because the flower bed plant community stands out so much from what surrounds them, whether its grass, concrete or gravel, actually building an edge is not mandatory. The flower bed creates its own natural edge. Even if some plant overflows its bed – it can look charming.

However, having no edge can create some issues, e.g. tricky mowing. Also, an edge is something that can give an additional appeal, so consider the following ways of creating it.

Edging With Border Fences

One of the typical ways to edge a bed is by using a flower bed border fence. They are used for edging typical rectangular or square flower beds, for example along garden pathways or against a building wall. Curves and wavy patterns are hard to achieve when using fences.

Fences are usually made out of wood, plastic or wire. In my opinion, wooden ones look best out of the three, and that goes for any bed design. You can buy a bed fence in garden centers, but with some effort (and tools), you can make it yourself.

Edging With Stones

Edging a garden bed with stones is a classic option that will add diversity and texture to your flower bed. Additionally, warmth-loving plants will benefit from stone structures, as they retain the sun’s heat. Also, small lizards will highly appreciate it.

Edging with bricks or concrete elements falls into the same category. This tutorial uses bricks to create a warm, rustic bed edge.

Green Edging and a Wavy Flower Bed

Although flower beds are often edged with hard materials (e.g., bricks, stones, fences), it doesn’t have to be like that. You can use vegetation as well. You can use different plants, but low shrubs are suitable for this purpose – especially because they will last many years.

Another advantage of using plants as green edges is that they can easily and naturally follow non-linear edge patterns. This particular bed is wavy with deep curves, adding more dynamics to the entire design.

Edging With Flowers

Beds that are edged with one flowering species are really attractive, especially if you manage to create a slope like this one.

Go for inexpensive, densely growing, productive flowering plants such as marigolds, begonias, asters or chrysanthemums. They should be hardy enough to take “life on the edge” well.

Classic Flower Beds

A cool thing about flower beds is that you can make them anywhere where you are allowed to dig and where the soil allows – in your front yard, in your backyard, along with your fence or your driveway, around any garden feature, or in the middle of your lawn.

Besides looking gorgeous themselves, flower beds can influence and change the entire look and feel of your yard, thereby becoming a true landscaping element. You will see what I mean in some of the examples below.

Oval Flower Bed

To a human eye, symmetry is captivating. A circle often considered a “perfect shape”.

That is probably the reason why circular or oval flower beds are so popular. They look especially striking when placed in the middle of a well-maintained lawn.

The flowers inside a round bed can be a single, color, a random mix of two or more colors, or in several colors which follow the round pattern, which can be a little challenging to achieve. To find out how to create a perfectly round flower bed, go here.

Geometric Pattern Flower Bed

In spite of our last example being a classic, flower beds do not have to follow a circular or oval pattern. If you are bored with standard approaches, you could try some unusual geometry. This zig-zag flower pattern is simple to achieve, yet it’s visually very effective.

When striving for geometry, you should create edges of your desired on the ground out of sticks or tape. Then plant carefully within the borders of your pattern.

Lawn Occupied By Flower Beds

Vibrantly green lawns can be a real joy. However, if you’re a flower person, they can be a bit dull and lifeless.

As an alternative, check out this garden where flower beds have taken over the lawn completely.

The large nonlinear beds have reduced the lawn to a mere pathway, which meanders between them like a river. It is exactly the complementary irregular shape of the beds which enable the green path to have such a natural looking “flow”.

If you are considering this design, make sure that the lawn grass you are using is the kind can withstand heavy foot traffic.

Wave Flower Bed

This design takes us a step further. This bold garden has asymmetrical beds, with a curved gravel path which is meandering between them. The flowers are planted in independent wavy or rounded patterns of single colors. All these curves and colors together create a mellow, almost psychedelic effect.

Complex Pattern Flower Bed

Here is something for the truly artistically inclined gardeners. Creating complex shapes in flower beds is a real landscaping challenge guaranteed to attract a lot of attention.

A design like this requires a lot of drawing, pre-planning, and measuring – it is not something that can just be done right on the spot.

Natural Guilds Flower Bed

If you want to recreate the natural look, following the natural ecosystem’s law of layers is a perfect way to go.

In natural ecosystems, plants form guilds according to their height. This flower bed uses tall perennials (including trees) and lower annuals and perennials to create guilds, resulting in a lush slope of garden plants.

Against The Wall

Flower beds in front of walls and tall fences add depth and liveliness to the limited space. A well-planned bed can create an illusion that your garden is bigger and spacer than it actually is. Therefore this is an ideal option for fenced yards that give off a “square” impression.

Flower Bed Under Windows

One of the best views you can design yourself is to create a rich flower bed right under your window. It will bring color and fragrance into your room(s), plus you can watch your garden in all weather conditions form the coziness of your home.

You can use taller plants such as these sunflowers to create shade where you need it – especially if your windows are facing south.

Using native wildflowers and pollinator-friendly plants will be an additional treat. Besides beautiful flowers, you will have fun with watching bees and butterflies.

Flower Bed Around a Tree

A perfect way to make deciduous trees “alive” early in the year is by creating a flower bed and planting early spring species such as daffodil and crocus around it.

Depending on the chosen flowers, the tree mulch can benefit both flowers and the tree. These freesias seem to be enjoying it, and the weed problem is solved.

Raised Beds

Raised beds come as a rescue in situations where you can’t plant directly in the soil. This includes balconies, concrete surfaces, but also situations where it is not advisable to dig – like living in a rented home, or when the soil is contaminated or not suitable for what you intend to plant.

Besides utility, raised beds can be a great decoration themselves. Let’s check out some classic and some unusual raised bed options.

Classic wooden raised bed

Here is a typical low-lying wooden raised bed. It is made out of plain wooden boards. Beds like these are easy to construct and are used to grow everything from flowers to vegetables.

If you are not lining your wooden bed with a pond liner, know that the wood will rot in time. All in all – it is not long-lasting, unlike the next example. Still, seasoned, weathered boards can add to the charm of a rustic garden.

Masonry/Stone Raised Bed

Masonry raised beds are a true classic. From public squares to private backyards, they really enrich the space by adding volume, texture and sometimes even resting spots. In short – a stone raised bed is more than just a planting bed.

Besides its primary function, this raised bed has another important purpose – it edges the lawn in a very elegant way.

Stone Terraces

In the previous example, the stone wall was used as a regular bed edge. However, in this example a similar structure is embedded within the bed itself, creating a dramatic terrace effect. It reminds of rocky mountain slopes, so you can choose the plants accordingly.

As previously said, the ability of the stone to hold the sun’s heat will benefit the warmth-loving plants.

L-Shaped Wooden Raised Bed

This raised bed is made from thick wooden beams – therefore, a design like this enables you to upcycle construction material. The L-shape makes the bed suitable for different spaces, and broad wood gives a nice surface to sit on and rest while enjoying the view of your garden.

Wooden beams are also more durable than most other wooden materials. However, since they are often chemically treated, using a durable plastic liner in the bed is a must, especially if you are planning to grow edible or medicinal plants.

L-Shaped Bed With a Bench

Another L-shaped design successfully uses the corner of this balcony, creating more space for planting in a limited area. It is made out of panels (different sorts of panels will work), with metal profiles added for additional sturdiness.

This sturdiness is needed considering that this raised bed features an elegant wooden bench nested inside the “letter L”.

Repurposed Trolley Flower Bed

Old trolleys are like raised beds on wheels. Their entire look makes them very attractive addition to any garden.

In some situation, you and your flowers may benefit from having a taller bed – for example, if you have a dog that likes to dig and can’t help it.

There is one major drawback. If you don’t already own one, trolleys might be pricey and hard to find. And if you are a proud owner, you may be reluctant to use your cart as a flower bed since in time it will succumb to moisture and rot.

Literal Flower Bed

Here is a true flower bed! Parts of an old metal bed frame were added to the matching white wooden bed, creating a real bed for the flowers. Note that some people use full vintage beds for this purpose.

Flowers in pastel colors such as pink and lilac, as well as plants with silvery leaves (think lavender or lamb’s ear) would complement this design nicely.

Wood Flower Bed

This bed is made out of a real raw piece of wood. No boards, no screws – the bed is simply carved out of a tree trunk. The larger the trunk – larger the bed.

One downside of this bed is that the wood will eventually rot – it is not a lasting option. Still, if you like simple solutions in tune with nature, it is worth considering.

Old Tire Raised Bed

Old tires are probably the most common item upcycled as a raised bed. That is because of their availability, and also the fact they a big environmental problem, so they are worth upcycling. My example here is straightforward and raw-looking, but tires are often painted in vivid colors and used in charming “recycled” setups.

A word of caution: I wouldn’t recommend tires to grow edible plants, as they may leach some of the many chemical components automobile tires are notorious for.

Upcycled Wheelbarrow Raised Bed

Wheelbarrows are our trusty allies in gardening, so why not upgraing one at the end of its lifetime to serve as a flower bed?

A wheelbarrow bed would look good placed next to another larger, ground-level wild-type flower bed.

Flower beds and garden furniture

Although most beds shown here are “lonely”, don’t forget that flower beds are perfect spot to place your garden furniture next to.

This stone pavement combined with stone raised bed and stylish metal furniture evokes the sense of Mediterranean. A perfect place to start your day with a coffee if your garden is facing east, or to have an afternoon drink if it’s facing west.

Just be careful – if you are facing south and experience full sunshine throughout the day – this setup can definitely get too hot.

Conclusion

Because they are the essence of every garden, flower beds are worth investing in. I’m not talking (only) about finances, but primarily about time – for research, planning, and building. If this feels overwhelming, just remember that you will be richly rewarded by all the botanical beauty that your ideal flower bed will bring you for many years.

What types of flower beds look best to you? Are you a fan of geometry or are into wild style? Feel free to drop a comment and let the world know!

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