There are two things that I’m obsessed with when it comes to exterior design, curb appeal and of course, you guys know I have a thing for colorful plants. Combine the two and I’m in design heaven!
Today I wanted to merge my two dream worlds and share some of the prettiest flower bed ideas to inspire you to see the possibilities and say goodbye to those boring bushes.
1. Elevated Beauty
If your property has a bit of a slope, you have the perfect setup for creating some gorgeous raised flower beds. I love the idea of building your garden bed wall so it starts low and gets taller as the ground drops.
The end result is just so clever; the land changes elevation, but your flower bed stays perfectly level.
Raised beds are also a fantastic solution when you can’t plant directly in the ground. You can get a planter box on legs, which I think is a great way to lift the flowers several feet off the ground.
You can place a planter box like this anywhere you want! I’ve seen some beautiful ones built from wood, or you can find some really nice ones made of metal, plastic, or composite materials.
2. Space-Saving Tips
You really don’t need a huge garden to have a beautiful flower bed. If you live in an apartment without a lot of yard space, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some lovely flowering plants. A balcony railing planter is such a great way to create a small yet stunning flower bed.
It just hooks right onto your balcony, and you can grow several plants inside. I love that you can have more than one, each with its own theme, like one for colorful flowers and another for cooking herbs.
If you don’t have a balcony, or maybe your windows don’t overlook your garden, you can try a small indoor garden instead. Just place a large planter near a window in your home and put two or three flowering plants in it.
The key is to pick plants that all need similar light, water, and soil conditions.
3. Creating Long and Lovely Flower Beds
Do you have a backyard that’s long and narrow? Or maybe the only spot you have for a garden is along the side of your house? In that case, you’ll want to create a garden that is long and narrow.
I think the key to making a long garden look beautiful is picking plants that fit the space and really embracing the idea of different levels.
You should pick small plants with blooms that grow low to the ground. They need to stay easily contained within the narrow space you’re working with. Then, you can choose a few taller plants or even some decorative elements.
Just make sure they are about one to three feet tall but not too wide. If your narrow space runs along a wall, you could even have taller plants that vine up on a lattice or trellis.
4. Inspiring Flower Bed Designs
To me, designing a flower bed is all about getting the right shape and arranging the flowers inside in a beautiful way. The very first step is deciding on the shape for your flower garden. Basic shapes are pretty easy to pull off with some simple planning.
You can make a square, rectangle, or a circle. But for a more creative and free-flowing look, you could create a curved edge that gently bends and follows the shape of your land or your home.
The next thing you’ll do is arrange your flower plants. A traditional and more formal way to do this is to make a pattern using several of the same plants, kind of like a quilt. For a more casual feel, you can just randomly scatter your plants without a set plan.
There is one rule that works for both approaches; try not to let the taller, bigger plants overpower the smaller ones by blocking their sun or taking all their nutrients.
5. Beautiful Fence Flowers
Do you have a fence that goes around your yard? Why not dress it up by lining your backyard with a border of flowering plants? First, you’ll want to decide how wide and high you want the flower bed.
You could keep it simple and have it level with the rest of your yard. But I think building it up to create a raised flower bed adds some really nice height to the yard. For the width, two or three feet should be plenty, but you can always go wider if you want a more substantial garden.
Once you have the base ready, it’s time to add your plants. I would look for plants that will grow to a size that fits within your planned flower bed. Some plants stay small, while others can get to be several feet wide and tall.
A good tip is to plant the smaller plants in the front and the taller ones behind them, right along the fence.
6. Versatile Container Gardens
When you start looking at flower garden ideas, you’ll see pretty quickly that you can use almost anything for a container garden. I find that aluminum water buckets or troughs are really common.
They are simple, affordable, resistant to corrosion, and just so easy to work with. Another item I see a lot is a vintage tub. They are super durable and give you plenty of room for several plants.
The truth is, you can use just about anything as a container for your garden. It just needs to be durable enough to be left outside and have a spot where you can actually plant your flowers.
I’ve seen people use everything from old tires and logs to a vintage chair, a ladder, or even a pallet. Some other fun ideas are wine bottles, a wagon, a grill, a smoker, a toolbox, and even a chandelier.
7. Curves and Circles
I think creating a round flower bed is such a smart idea because of its natural shape and elegant curved lines. You could place a round garden out in the middle of your yard. But an easier way might be to find a natural element you can build your round flower garden around.
Maybe you have a tree or a large plant already growing in your yard. You could build a wall from wood or stones to create a ring around that central element.
Then, you can create your flowerbed around it to make a beautiful ring of flowers. If you don’t have a natural centerpiece, you can always make one! I love the idea of placing a bird bath or a large sculpture in the middle.
Your round flower bed doesn’t have to be raised either; it can look just as beautiful when it’s level with the yard around it.
8. Stylish Planter Box Ideas
If you’re hoping to create a modern-looking flower box, you should try using pavers, bricks, or concrete. I think it’s great that you can build your own planter to a custom size that will fit your yard perfectly.
It’s a good idea to think about the size and shape of your flower bed when you pick out your brick or concrete block. You want them to fit the scale of the bed and work with the shape you are trying to create.
One way to do it is to make a long, low wall that goes around your entire flower bed. Another option I love is to build multiple levels for different flowers in each section.
This lets you grow all sorts of flower plants with different needs for sunlight, soil, and water all in the same area. Adding some height to your flowerbed is also a great way to upgrade your yard and add visual interest.
9. Unconventional and Charming Concepts
Not every flower garden has to look the same. Maybe you have a big tree stump that you aren’t sure what to do with. You could turn it into a stand for a potted flower garden! Just place pots of different sizes on and around the stump.
You could even add a separate taller stand next to the stump to get more height.
Speaking of height, I love the idea of growing a flowering vine plant on a trellis for a vertical flower bed. Or, you could mount a hanging planter on your wall to have an amazing flower garden that travels right up the wall.
Another really unique idea is to create a formal garden. These usually need a good amount of space and make me think of a time when people lived on big properties with huge gardens.
They have perfectly trimmed hedges, brick pathways, detailed flowering plant patterns, and even fountains.
10. Landscaping Transformations
If you have a large property, you will want to come up with a landscaping concept that flows through the whole estate. I know that caring for large flower beds can be time consuming. You might want to mix smaller accent flower beds with more natural foliage.
For example, you could have a container or a raised bed that showcases your flowers. Then, all around it, you can grow ornamental grass and other native plants. I love how this highlights the flowers and helps them pop by surrounding them with more neutral plant life.
In tropical places, this could mean planting several palms and some lush greenery. In drier areas, you could use hardy grasses and cacti.
11. Creative Front Yard Ideas
Putting a garden bed in your front yard is such a great way to boost your property’s curb appeal. If you don’t mind some regular maintenance, then I would choose annual flowers.
But for a more low maintenance garden, you should stick with perennials. They will keep growing and blooming year after year.
I think it’s smart to stick with plants that are native to your area. Since this is your front yard, you’ll want it to always look beautiful. Native and local plants will grow much better and look nicer throughout the entire year.
Try to add a mix of plants so that some are blooming in the spring and summer, and then as they go dormant, your winter blooms can start to come in.
12. Natural Elegance
If you just can’t find the type of planter or container you want for your flower bed, why not build your own out of wood? I think this strategy works so well because you can make a custom design and build your flower bed from the ground up.
This lets you pick the exact length, width, and height you want. You can even build multiple levels to add some visual interest.
When you’re building your wood flower bed box, you’ll want to be sure to use the right kind of wood. Some treated woods have a ton of chemicals in them, which can negatively affect how your flowers grow. But on the other hand, untreated wood can be susceptible to moisture.
It won’t last long because it will start to swell, shrink, and warp. The best kind of wood to use is redwood or black locust. Cedar is another wood that is resistant to rot and can easily last for ten to 15 years.
