Free Garden Catalogs

How do you keep weeds out of flower garden.. Tips and/or tricks to help grow a sucessful flower garden?

I am planning to plant a couple fall plants this year then next spring planting a few gardens.. we have a home that is completely bare of any type of landscaping and flowers.. is their any kind of tips or tricks that could help me grow a successful garden..? As well as do you know anything about how to keep weeds out but the flowers growing in healthy and beautiful? I am New to gardening.. Thank You!! Also! We live in a new housing community.. it used to be nothing but farm land so our back yard is pretty much sucked dry of any nutrients and is full of rocks.. we are in Illinois btw. So any type of plant food or fertilizer that would help?

Public Comments

1. You can get dozens of answers for this question but we are going to suggest Native Plants or at least a good mixture in the total. Before choosing anything, you need to determine sunlight or lack of. That will affect your choice of plants. Most likely since you note it is void of anything, it is sunny. You also need to know what USDA zone you live in. The cold hardiness and even heat issues will also determine what plants you can place in your landscape. Once all of that is determined, native plants are an excellent choice. First they are from the place you already live in so soil might be fine and climate is fine. We like butterfly gardens. Buddleia, Coneflowers, Rudbeckias, Phlox, Agastache, Cardinal Flower, Great Lobelia, Milkweeds, Asters, Liatris, Bleeding Hearts, are native (excluding Buddleia). And once established use less water. All of these we listed will grow in Illinois. Toss in some Iris, Hosta, Salvias, Japanese Anemones, and some annuals such as Impatiens, Zinnias, Marigolds and you will have a fine garden. Add a birdbath and some large rocks as contrast and your set. But plan it on paper first, ensuring that large and tall plants are to the rear of the garden, smaller to the front. Take into account leaf shapes and flower colors as well. To make the shape of the bed, if you want curves, simply lay out a garden hose to see the curves you want. We have a website at SKWildflower-rescue.net that may give you some more ideas. A clean slate of a yard can be fun. And just to let you know, a garden is never done. We have been in our house in NJ for 16 years and we are always adding, changing, updating, etc. Have fun with it.
2. Just because it was farmland doen't mean it's dead. make a map of your property and by going to greenhouses & asking questions you can decide what plants flowers shrubs look good in what location.In garden beds close to the house you might want tallers palnts and smaller ones toward the front so they can be seen and enjoyed. It takes awhile to get started but once you get going it just gets better. My wife never used to garden before we met & now she loves it.. If you lke fresh produce, start a small garden in a south facing yard. Start a compost pile/contaner for all your organic househould garbage as this will be an excellent fertilizer for all your plants & it keeps it out of the garbage dump. Keep you eye out for plants for giveaway, try to find native grasses and flowers as they will do well if there sre drought conditions. Have fun!!!
3. Here you go. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/42525/keep_weeds_from_growing_in_your_garden.html