Create a Rustic Flower Garden

There is nothing more beautiful than a flower garden. However, you do not want it to turn into a big expense each year. Therefore, a rustic flower garden may possibly be just what you are looking for, to help cut down on expense, while at the same time adding beauty to your yard and surroundings.

Steps

  1. Do your prep. You first need to decide where you want your Rustic Flower Garden. It is best if it is located in a far corner of the yard. A location near a window, so that you can look out and enjoy it.
  2. Eliminate as many of the weeds that you can from the area that you have chosen as your gardening area. You can do this by using your gardening tools, or by pulling some weeds out by hand (see warnings).
  3. Measure, mark (with pencil or chalk) and cut or have someone help cut the landscaping timber in the shape that you want; they look very nice if they are stacked at least two timbers high. Normally, end pieces are cut at an angle, not straight across. Think of it as being like a (slash) / mark. Your goal is that the timbers across the front will evenly match up with the side timbers.
  4. Use metal stakes to secure the timbers--large carpentry nails can be applied if needed. Be sure to add stakes to join the cut pieces of wood together, meaning where each of the ends meet, after pushing them together.
  5. Put down the plastic liner for the flower bed before adding the soil. This will hold the soil in place.
  6. Use your own judgment to decide how far from the top you prefer the soil to be. However, do not fill the bed all the way up to the top.
  7. Once you have added the soil, step back and study where you want your plants. It is best if the cast-iron plant is to the back and out of the sun; Vinca plants look great if up close to the front and can be planted in full un or partial shade, as long as they're in moist, rich, well-drained soil. See the tips section for more information on Vinca plants.
  8. Once all the plants have been arranged, take the water hose and, lightly, spray the soil and plants. It helps to get all the air out of the soil and pack it down. Now give your plants a minute for them to adjust to their new home.
  9. Add the Volcano rocks to your soon to be Rustic Garden. Wear your gloves while working with the rocks; after the Volcano rocks are in place, you can add the larger rocks or add in the boulder.
  10. Finished.

Tips

  • Now adding in a nice sprinkler system, such as a Rabbit or Turtle or both, will work two ways - it will save you time from watering and will decorate the garden area at the same time.
  • The Vinca plants feature attractive, glossy leaves and colorful flowers of white, pink, or rose; many varieties have a rose eye and get fairly tall.
  • You can add some yard stakes, like dragonflies or birds, to your garden area, even set around a few critters--it's up to you. Check out your local Dollar Stores for some great yard ideas, such as adding some frogs, squirrels, etc. that would make the garden even more appealing.
  • Cactus do very well in a rustic garden, naturally, you do not want to over soak them.
  • If the cast-iron plant is planted up under a window, that would be a perfect location for it; let the plant dry between soaking. It is best not to over-water these plants.
  • Miracle Grow is one of the top choices on potting soil. However, it can be a big expense, if you are covering a wide area, such as being for a large to medium size flower garden. Therefore, just search for a good enriched potting soil (read note below).
  • The Coleus plant comes in a wide range of foliage colors and shapes. It is best to transplant it into a medium to large clay pot and sit it in your garden area; it produces feathery flowers and comes in a wide range of mostly warm colors, such as orange. It likes a warm garden spot, full sun, and being in rich, moist, well-drained soil.

Warnings

  • When pulling weeds by hand make sure to wear gloves, as some weeds are poisonous!
  • Try to work to keep snails from destroying your pretty plants; there are many ways to go about doing this. Home Depot and gardening stores have lots of items to offer, and you can check out natural ways to solve the problem, such as adding pine cones (gum balls) to your gardening area. Snails cannot crawl over them.
  • Be sure the top of the timber pieces are level. Use a carpenter's level (with a bubble) to check for being level. If one side is higher than the other, when you water the bed dirt and water will wash out of the low side.
  • Be very careful not to damage plants when you're adding the Volcano rocks, as well as the others.

Things You'll Need

  • 3-4 or more Large bags of small Volcano Rocks
  • Several extra large Rocks or one extra large Boulder
  • 3-4 or more Landscaping Timbers
  • Several Metal Stakes will be needed
  • Have on Hand: Carpentry Nails and Hammer or Nail Gun
  • Several different types of plants; Cactus plants, Aloe Vera, Vinca, Coleus, Case Iron plant and Celosia
  • Gardening Tools; garden rake, hand rake and shovel
  • Gardening gloves
  • Plastic Bed Liner to keep out weeds
  • Several bags of Enriched Potting Soil (Note: Some people like to use Cow Manure Compost Potting Soil called Humus to act as a fertilizer in their garden area
  • Flat (dark lead) pencil or chalk tape for construction
  • Measuring tape

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