Portland OR. Interior Design Company  

One of my favorite springtime activities is creating colorful planters and gardens.  For me, having a beautiful space outdoors to sit and relax, helps me to renew my creative spirit and sense of well-being.  Today’s DIY is a step-by-step guide to planting the perfect garden so we can revive our spirits and our surroundings.

Image via Ed O’Keeffe Phototgraphy

Tools you’ll need to build an annual flower bed:

• Garden Rake / Hard Rake
• Round Point or Flat Shovel
• Leaf Rake
• Tiller (Optional)

STEP 1 – Start by outlining the shape of your new flower bed on the ground with spray paint, flour or a garden house.

STEP 2 – Then spray any grass or weeds growing inside the outlined area with a solution of glyphosphate, such as Killzall or Roundup. Wet all foliage of grass and weeds thoroughly with weed killer allowing 2 hours to dry completely. Always wear protective clothing and eyewear when spraying any chemical.

STEP 3 – Place your plants, while still in the containers, and space them (as directed on plant tag) over the surface of bed. Start with a row around perimeter of bed. Then stagger plants towards the inside of the perimeter row, and so on towards the center until the bed is full.

STEP 4 – It’s time to start digging!  When planting, use hand trowel to dig a hole only as deep as the root ball is tall.

STEP 5 – Now, mix in equal amounts of a light professional potting or planting mix and a soil conditioner or compost, such as mushroom compost or composted cow manure, with the soil removed from the holes dug.

STEP 6 – Now you are ready to plant.

STEP 7 – Remove the plants from their containers.  Its a good idea to loosen roots at the bottom of the root ball or plug before planting. . Drop rootball in hole and gently pack in soil to fill.

STEP 8 – When you have finished planting, you can broadcast weed preventer granules, such as Treflan, over surface of bed for season-long weed prevention.

STEP 9 – Fertilize your new flower bed with a granular flower food.

Don’t have room for a garden?  You can still get the feel of one by planting in a upcycled wood pallet!

Image and full instructions via Life On The Balcony

I hope you can get out and work in your garden, after the snow is gone anyway!  Make sure to share those pictures when you are done! 

Have a great weekend!