Garden Design Plan for a Sunny Flower Bed

The joy of the INTERNET is that you no longer have to sit with pen and paper, or magazines, trying to find a free garden design plan that suits your needs. You now have access to many plans online! This free garden design plan is not for the whole garden but for a sunny flower bed. If you are looking for ideas on what to plant in a border bed that gets 6 hours or more of direct sunlight a day then have a look at the ideas in this rough sketch. It is meant to be for a fairly long border though you can adjust the plants or the how much you plant according to the size of your bed. Also included are alternative plants if you have difficulties getting the primary suggestion, or if you would prefer something else. Keep in mind that this free garden design plan does not know what other colors you have in your garden, the type of soil you have, the style of your house and garden. These are important things to think about when planting a sunny flower bed. This plan has purples, pinks and yellows.

A = 'Potters Purple' Buddleia davidii

B = 'The King' Phlox paniculata

C = 'Purple Dome' Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster)

D = 'Golden Plume' Heliopsis helianthoides (Sunflower heliopsis, False Sunflower)

E = 'Hyperion' Hemerocallis (Daylily)

F = 'Vintage Wine' Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)

G = 'Autumn Joy' Sedum

H = 'Coronation Gold' Achillea filipendulina

I = 'Blue Spires' Perovskia (Russian Sage)

J = 'Kobold' Liatris spicata (Blazing Star)

K = 'Moonbeam' Coreopsis verticillata (Tickseed, Threadleaf Coreopsis)

Plant A – Potter's Purple

This is a butterfly bush, they are attracted by the continuous spiky flowers that come in purple, pink, white and magenta shades. In early Spring trim it down to between ten to twelve inches thne let it grow. By the beginning of Summer it will have grown five to six inches. If you do not want this plant or it is classed as invasive where you live then try a Chaste Tree.

Plant B – The King

This plant does need to be watched for mildew which can make it unattractive by mid summer. However there are new varieties being bred that do not have that problem. This plant will need stakes as the large flower heads are too heavy for the stems, and deadhead the flowers so that you keep getting new ones growing. Other potential choices include the Red Feelings a reddish purple color or the Red Valerian a magenta color.

Plant C – Purple Dome

When taking care of this plant you need to pinch back the stems to stop them growing too tall and to get more fuller plants that bloom better. They also continue to bloom into Autumn so your garden still has color when other plants may be fading. Other options include Monch which has purple flowers and will also carry on a little longer than others.

Plant D – Golden Plume

This has bright yellow flowers that bloom most of the summer months but you may need to do some staking. To keep the flowers blooming as long as possible do some deadheading. Or you could plant large flowered tickseed.

Plant E – Hyperion

This perennial is well liked by gardeners because they do well with little need for maintenance. There are repeat bloomers that have a few weeks of blooming, then rest then repeat. Or you could plant different varieties that bloom at different times so there is a long period of color from that area.

Plant F – Vintage Wine

Another plant that is easy to look after and blooms late giving you some color into the Autumn season. They attract wildlife like birds and butterflys too and come in a large number of varieties. They can survive in poor soil and with little water but obvioisly bloom more in rich soil that is moist. Or you could plant Twilight or Violet Queen.

Plant G – Autumn Joy

This choice depends on whether you have deer near by! IT will look attractive all year round, but the deer love it. If you do plant it just do some pruning in the early spring. Or you could plant Autumn Fire.

Plant H – Coronation Gold

A sturdy plant with a vibrant color. Deadhead the plant to keep the flowers blooming for longer. Or there is Moonshine or Harvest Moon that also have gold / yellow blooms.

Plant I – Blue Spires

This became popular amongst flower gardeners twenty years ago. In spring when the lower buds start to become green cut the shrub back to eight to ten inches and then let grow. Over the summer the flowers will bloom, a blue color that gets stronger and stringer and then when it peaks they become a blue grey color. Dark Knight is an alternative.

Plant J – Kobold

These spikes contrast nicely with the more wispy leaves of neighboring plants plus it continues the blue/purple and yellow theme. Or plant Black Adder or Grosso.

Plant K – Moonbeam

A delicate plant that is a soft yellow color. Though it is not an aggressive grower taking over plants around it it can sometimes disappear from where you planted it and grow elsewhere though! Deadheading is tricky because there are a lot of small flower heads so instead just let it bloom then cut it all back to two thirds of its size. The new flowers will bloom quickly again, just a couple of weeks. Or try planting Zagreb or Golden Showers.