Easy Landscaping: Trees & Flower Beds

Flower Beds

• No matter what size you have available, a flower bed makes a welcome, visual impact to any landscape. Other than your personal likes, consider some important issues when choosing plants for your flower beds. The blooms of most perennial plants only last two to four weeks. Carefully select plants with different bloom times to provide continuous color from spring until fall. Consider the color scheme before committing to an arrangement in a flower bed. Plant according to complementary colors -- violets with yellows, reds with greens and blues with oranges, for the greatest impact. Fragrant flower beds are also easy to implement in a landscape. Some fragrant perennials include phlox and bee balm; petunias and sweet alyssum are two fragrant annuals.

Trees

• Whether it's your goal to plant fruit trees, evergreens, deciduous trees or a mixture, trees add many qualities to a landscape: color, texture and sometimes, shade. Before selecting a tree for your landscape, first learn its mature size to determine if your site can properly accommodate it. Some large trees that grow over 50 feet include the silver maple (Acer saccharinum) and white oak (Quercus alba). Two common medium-growing specimens are the Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and the paper birch (Betula papyrifera), which reach a height between 25 and 50 feet. Small trees like Amur maple (Acer ginnala) and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) reach only up to 25 feet.

Growing Conditions

• In order to successfully grow the types of trees and flower beds that suit your liking, first assess current growing conditions. Take a soil sample to determine what will grow at the planting site. It may be necessary to take multiple samples. Amend the soil as needed to reach an ideal cultural environment. Know the lighting requirements of each specimen before planting, and place them accordingly in your landscape.

Maintenance

• Become aware of common pests and diseases that can plague trees and flowers. Frequently inspect specimens for any potentially harmful activity. To keep flower beds looking their best, prepare to routinely weed. Add a layer of mulch in flower beds to minimize the growth of weeds.