How to Create a Flower Bed in Front of a Fence

Use a garden hose to mark the size and shape of your flowerbed. The flexibility of a hose allows you to experiment to see what your garden would look like with a wavy border compared to a straight line. If you plan to line the length of the fence with a flowerbed, you can round the edges of the bed for a soft, framed looked or align the bed at an even width for a clean, uniform look.

Dig out the grass and weeds from the flowerbed site. Remove any root systems, large rocks and debris.

Add 3 to 4 inches of topsoil or compost to raise the level of the flower bed. Native topsoil and compost will add nutrients, air and healthy bacteria to the soil, while increasing its ability to retain moisture.

Observe the site for your flowerbed, noting the amount of sunlight it gets, the soil type and water drainage.

Choose a variety of flowers and shrubs that match the growing conditions of your garden. Consider plants of different colors, textures and heights. For instance, flowers and foliage with a lacy texture such as bishop's flowers or maidenhair fern add a delicate touch when planted along the border of a flowerbed.

Pay attention to when flowers bloom and select a combination of spring, summer and early fall bloomers to give your flowerbed appeal throughout the growing seasons.

Look at your fence and decide whether you want to add wooden flower boxes to the fence. If you don't like the look of your fence, flower boxes enable you to conceal a portion of it with vibrant blossoms instead.

Encourage climbing flowers or vines to grow vertically by planting them at the base of the fence.

Arrange your plants by height with the tallest plants in front of the climber and the low-growing plants in front. This will ensure that every plant gets the sun it needs to grow and bloom.

Cover your flowerbed with a 1-inch layer of mulch and water per the plants' instructions.

Lay stones, bricks or wood against the edge of the flower bed. Borders prevent erosion and protect your plants from yard traffic. They also define the shape and structure of your garden. For instance, a border made from railroad ties will compliment a sturdy wooden fence, while stones or bricks play up the formality of a cast iron fence.