One of the disadvantages of the classic arrangement of a house flower garden is associated with the rather low location of the plantings. Any tall grass, decorative fence or fence separating a section of the roadway completely covers the flowering carpet. You can get out of the situation in a fairly simple way - build high flower beds. The work is not much more than when setting up a regular flower garden. You just need to choose the right material and shape, correctly lay the soil in a high flower bed, as a result, visibility and visibility improves by an order of magnitude.
A climbing rose on special trellises will eventually turn into a hedge
Flower bed height
If you decide to make tall flower beds, try to imagine how it will look in combination with shrubs, trees and buildings. The flower garden can be miniature, only 20-25 cm high, and serve as a border. Or maybe one and a half meters high, for climbing plants and zoning space. When arranging the site, keep in mind that smooth transitions are impossible. Stepped flower beds look very impressive if the varieties and species are well selected.
New life
It often happens that a container or other large container is no longer in use, then there is always a place for such items in the flower garden. A plastic flower bed will become an integral part of the landscape design, and a wooden barrel with flowers fits well into the country style.
An antique chest of drawers that you inherited from your grandmother does not fit in with the Art Nouveau style that you are a fan of. However, you can come up with a more interesting purpose for that furniture covered in dust in the closet - place lavender and rosemary in its pull-out drawers.
Any unexpected options are welcome; use old things in a new role.
Advice from an experienced gardener: A multi-level flower bed looks most impressive when all the flowers bloom in it at the same time.
A DIY flower garden can delight you with original combinations of contrasting shades. No less attractive will be color schemes with transitions from one tone to another: for example, a red tint first to orange, and then to yellow.
To completely transform the site, you will need a minimum of available materials. Use your imagination and focus on your own taste preferences; turning a summer house into a blooming garden is a feasible task if you use all the recommendations mentioned in the article.
Installation Rules
To prevent perennial weeds from penetrating the soil, place dense material under the frame, for example, flat slate or a sheet of roofing iron. The site can be concreted. If the flower bed is very high, is used as a fence, or is intended for planting hanging plants, fill the lower half of the container with expanded clay and place a sheet of metal or roofing felt on top of the filler. After this, fill the remaining part with nutritious soil mixture. This will reduce the weight of the structure and make the work easier. Do not place tall flower beds in areas where strong winds blow. Plants will often be damaged and lose their beauty.
A simple option made from building blocks
The peculiarity of the design is that the flowers are planted in a recess inside the building block. Such a flower garden looks interesting, decorating a summer cottage.
First you need to decide on the shape of the flowerbed, then prepare a recess for the structure, pour a layer of crushed stone into the dug hole. The tiers of the structure are laid out using blocks, inside which earth is poured and flowers are planted.
Tiered flower beds can be made to order in specialized companies; the dimensions, materials used and design complexity are specified.
How to fill a high flower bed
If a tall flower garden is not intended for a specific type of plant with special soil requirements, use a nutritious soil mixture. It is not profitable to buy in such a volume; it is easier to prepare it yourself. To prepare, take leaf, turf or garden soil, mix it with humus, compost, peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 5:1:1:1:1. Add superphosphate to the finished mixture according to the instructions. Make sure that the roots of wheatgrass and other harmful weeds do not get into the mixture. To obtain a homogeneous soil, take small portions and mix thoroughly. It is advisable to fill the containers a month before planting so that the soil settles completely.
Advantages and disadvantages of tall flower beds
The only and very significant drawback of a high flower bed is the difficulty of filling the container with soil. This process is labor-intensive and requires great physical strength or the use of technology. Manufacturing costs vary greatly depending on size and materials. Financial costs can be large if several flower beds are installed at once.
Keep in mind that plants produce resources from the soil, and its volume is limited. The frequency of fertilizing and watering in containers is higher than in open ground.
Roccary
This type of flower bed is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful ways to decorate a flower bed; in appearance, such a flower bed resembles an alpine hill.
Also, a flower bed can be made not only from flowers, but flower beds are also made from stones.
Plants for raised beds
Plant any plants that can be planted in open ground in high flower beds, with the exception of perennial species that freeze easily. The soil in such flower beds freezes more strongly than in the beds. An excellent solution for planting would be annual flowers with continuous flowering, such as petunias, low-growing varieties of dahlias, purslane, phlox, lobelia, bacola, verbena and many others.
Among the perennials, irises, lilies, hyacinths, lychnis, delphinium, and periwinkle are well suited.
Magnificent hanging plants and vines are simply created for this type of flower beds. Calibrachoa, ivy, begonias, pelargoniums, impatiens, antirrhinum, tradescantia, dichondra, chamomile, various vines.
It is appropriate to add herbs with beautiful flowering to compositions of perennials. Thyme is perfect; it not only has a good aroma, but is also able to repel harmful insects. A combination of colorful flowering annuals and ornamental foliage crops such as ferns, heuchera and hosta, which are hardy, will be great. Dwarf conifers and miniature shrubs fit well into the composition.
Naturally, your preferences when choosing varieties and species are yours, but take into account the characteristics of the plants, especially the winter hardiness of perennials.
How to make a vertical flowerbed with your own hands using improvised materials
Creating flower beds with your own hands at the dacha is not at all difficult. You can use everything that has long been asked to be thrown into the trash, but for some reason has not yet gone there. It's time to give old junk a second life.
From plastic bottles
Even first-graders know that plastic takes centuries to decompose. But if separate waste collection is organized in the city, when recycled plastic containers are recycled, then problems arise with this outside the city. And there are quite a few bottles of water and drinks collected in the country house. It's time to use them for a good cause.
- Five-liter drinking water bottles are very convenient. They need to cut off the neck or bottom (and turn them over by screwing on the lid) to create a wide, capacious container.
- Two-liter bottles are also cut to half (they often use half with a neck, hanging the lid down, such pots look impressive).
- The bottle can be placed horizontally by cutting out a spacious hole on one side for soil and planting flowers.
Bottles with plantings can be mounted on a fence, wall, or used to decorate a screen.
From the boxes
Boxes made of wood or plastic are naturally ideal containers for organizing a flowerbed with your own hands. Boxes of different sizes can be placed vertically on top of each other (after filling them with soil), and seedlings can be planted in the resulting gaps, thus creating a cascading flower garden.
If the boxes are the same size, then plants can be planted in the spaces between the slats or in the side holes.
The boxes can be placed on the ground, nailed to a wall, mounted on a fence, or used to make decorative “border” posts.
Made from metal mesh and garden film
If you cut off about a meter of chain-link mesh, cover it from the inside with thick plastic film or black spunbond, securing it in the corners, and then roll the mesh into a cylinder and connect the edges, you will get the basis for a high flower bed. You need to make holes in separate cells (in a checkerboard pattern) in which flowers will be planted.
The cylinder is placed in a wooden or plastic container (bucket) and firmly fixed (you can bury the bucket in the ground). You need to install a plastic pipe in the center, first drilling holes in it for irrigation and sealing the bottom hole (which will stand at the bottom of the bucket). The gaps between the walls and the pipe must be filled with soil mixture and flowers planted.
From geotextile
Geotextiles are a convenient material for making a vertical flower bed. The frame is made of reinforcement bars installed in a circle. On the outside, they are wrapped in several layers of geotextile; holes for seedlings need to be made in it in random order.
The watering system is the same as in a flowerbed made from a chain-link mesh: in the center there is a plastic tube with holes for water, with an insulated bottom edge. The space between the geotextile walls and the water tube is filled with soil. In both cases, it is recommended to make a drainage layer at the bottom.
From a pallet
Wooden pallets are a convenient, eco-friendly material that will last a long time faithfully. Pallets can be used to make a wonderful screen or raised flower bed.
In the first case, the pallet must be turned with its back (“legs”) forward, and using small nails or a furniture stapler, secure the geotextile folded in several layers so that it forms a bag. Pour soil into it and plant flowers.
Put together a kind of box from several pallets and plant flowers in it, raising them above the ground.
Pallets must be sanded and covered with a colorless or decorative protective material. You can decorate a flower bed made of wooden pallets with colored paints.
Using other items
By “other items” we mean everything that is lying around underfoot. For example, old shoes. Daisies will look great in rubber boots and galoshes nailed to the fence. Petunias will look great in an old umbrella turned upside down with its handle. Violets look very cute in small cups suspended one above the other. You just need to look around and use your imagination.
Watering cans, buckets, basins
There is also plenty of this goodness in the dacha! They can be raised above the ground by installing them on stands, stumps, steps, benches, or, on the contrary, dug into the ground.
You can also add old pots, deep frying pans, boiling pots and buckets here. The main thing is not to forget to water the plants. And remember that metal “flower beds” are subject to corrosion from contact with water, so you need to monitor their condition.
Tires and Tires
Car tires and tires are classics of country house decor; they have been used for a long time to fence flower beds.
But if you stack the tires on top of each other, or in some other order, and fill the voids with soil, plant plants, and you will get a vertical flower bed. Tires can be dug into the ground, hung on a tree, cut into two parts and attached to each of them on a wall (fence). Tires can be painted in different colors, braided with decorative cord, and turned into flowerpots.
Plastic pipe
You can make a pillar or tower from a plastic pipe of a suitable diameter: you need to cut holes in it in a checkerboard pattern (5-6 cm in diameter). Inside, in the center, place a pipe of smaller diameter with holes drilled in it.
Fix the structure in the ground, fill the pipe cavity with soil and plant the seedlings in the prepared holes. The inner thin pipe is designed for watering.
Pots and containers
It’s very easy to organize a vertical flower bed with pots and containers: they need to be secured in “floors” or in a cascade on a fence, wall, or wooden pallet; you can build a pole with hooks and hang pots; containers can be installed on special stands, shelves - in a word, you can give free space to your imagination. Pour soil into pots and containers and plant flowers. Bright colors of pots will make the flower bed attractive.
Barrels and containers
You can also organize a flower garden in wooden barrels and tubs. To do this, you need to install a watering pipe in the central part, fill the barrel with soil, cut holes in the sides with a diameter of about 5 cm and plant the plants.
In what style are tall flower beds appropriate?
In the photo, tall flower beds are always gorgeous, but this type of flower garden is not suitable for every style of plot. Naturgarden and country style does not involve the installation of such elements. They will be superfluous if the site emits natural nature, lawns and gracefully plays out the natural landscape with elevation changes and rocky slopes.
In a minimalist and strict style, on the contrary, decorative elements with clear geometric shapes emphasize conciseness and restraint.
In the landscaping of city parks, recreation areas and squares, tall flower beds will become the most striking elements. The photo shows that even the simplest options enliven the territory and make it possible to create some comfort. The benches against the background of flowers look beautiful, the aroma makes it possible to enjoy a walk.
How to choose the right flowers?
A flower bed with several levels must have a special design; usually, during watering, water in it flows from the upper levels to the lower. When selecting plants, a summer resident must take this circumstance into account in order to create optimal conditions for green spaces.
Suitable choices for high humidity levels in spring are primroses, ranunculus, forget-me-nots and violets, while irises and geraniums grow well here in summer; astilbes can replace them in August.
On the upper tiers you will need to plant drought-resistant flowers: cosmos, iberis, marigolds, nasturtium or aster. You need to know that these plants cannot survive without watering at all; at least water them once a week.
Perennials for a multi-level garden flower bed are far from the best option; the plants will have to be disturbed all the time in order to replant them.
On a note
There are several tips to help make your flower garden flawless:
- Do not use black color in the design, the ground will overheat.
- Fill the spaces between plants with decorative mulch or white forest moss. The moisture will last longer, and the beautiful background will be emphasized by bright flowers and leaves.
- Do not use colored wood chips as mulch under plants with white flowers; the color of the petals may change.
- Water frequently and in small portions so that the water does not stagnate. Be sure to make drainage holes.
- Cut off dried flowers, they spoil the appearance and take a lot of strength from the plant.
To choose the right color of material for creating a flower bed, take into account the color of buildings and fences on the site; blue goes well with red, white and purple. Orange with red and yellow, green with brown and red, purple with red and white.
Types of purchased structures
Today, specialized stores offer a wide range of ready-made designs that allow you to quickly and easily make a vertical flower bed with your own hands. These include wooden multi-level “pyramids” that can be moved around the site; wooden “ladders” with pallets; decorative flower pots and stands; pallets, metal and wooden boxes of various sizes; metal balls made of wire.
If you wish, you can realize your own needs and fantasies by making a custom-made structure based on an individual project. The only negative is the cost of such structures. Therefore, summer residents simply make do with what they have at hand, turning even household garbage and waste into stunning flower beds.
