25 Colorful Flower Bed Ideas for Your Prettiest Yard Yet (2024)

Beautify your landscape.

By AnnMarie Mattila
25 Colorful Flower Bed Ideas for Your Prettiest Yard Yet (1)

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When the first day of spring arrives, the first thing you want to do is head outside and enjoy the warm, sunny weather. And if you're anything like Ree Drummond, a landscaping plan must include flowers. "I can't remember a time when I didn't love flowers," Ree Drummond admits. "After living in the country with Ladd for the first few years of marriage, my appreciation for flowers went to a whole new level. I gardened, researched seeds, and grew endless varieties of roses, sunflowers, dahlias, zinnias, rudbeckia, and echinacea." So if you, too, are looking for inspiration, browse these flower bed ideas ahead.

Whether you prefer annuals or perennials or a mix of both, you'll find fun ideas to trim your space to keep it nice and tidy like rock walls and cute stone paths. You can also repurpose your existing fence as a guide on where to plant! Speaking of repurposing, you'll find plenty of ideas on using fun decorative items that you might already have. (Just wait until you see the wagon wheel.) There are also ways to add height if you lack space or want to add more like trellises and raised beds, which are also great if your soil quality isn't quite what it should be. Just make sure you check out your plant hardiness zone before you start (they've changed recently, FYI) and refresh your gardening tools. Because while these flower beds are easy to master and help your plants thrive, you want to make sure you're choosing the right blooms for the job.

1

Frame a Sidewalk

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If you already have a sidewalk, it makes the easiest guide to plant and maintain. It makes a very welcoming pathway to all your guests, too!

SHOP GARDENING TOOLS

2

Create Your Own Path

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If you don't already have a sidewalk, create your own! Adding a stone pathway helps you design the flow of the space and keeps everyone from trampling over the pretty blooms, too.

3

Divide by Color

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There are several ways to approach your color scheme. One is to divide your garden or landscape up into segments by color, adding endless visual interest.

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4

Go Monochrome

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Another idea is to keep your flower beds monochrome. This is great if you have a favorite color and want to proudly display it. Don't worry too much about the shades of each type of flower. The overall effect is what you're going for.

5

Go Bold

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Hello, world! A mix of bold blooms will make the ultimate statement. It works just as well if you have an understated house or an abode that's just as bright.

SHOP POTTING SOIL

6

Mix Annuals and Perennials

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If you're not sure if you want annuals versus perennials, get both! It increases your chances for success just in case one type of flower doesn't work. It also makes next year less work since some will grow back.

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7

Plant a Potager

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Do like the French do and combine flowers and vegetables in the same beds. Not only is it visually appealing, but you get two gardens in one!

8

Add Raised Beds

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Raised beds of any kind can add visual interest. They also increase your chances for success because you can choose the soil you use and any nutrients that might help them grow better.

9

Add Decorations

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We told you there would be a wagon wheel! How cute is this idea? It's a great way to use items you may already have and to add interest and personality.

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10

Add Colorful Pots

To add even more color, add some bright pots! They can contrast the flowers you're using or match. The options are endless and give you the opportunity to move things around more easily.

SHOP FLOWER POTS

11

Repurpose Planters

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Why waste? Reuse what you have like old wheelbarrows, watering cans, buckets, and more to create unique planters that you can use year after year.

12

Step It Up

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One way to add height is to build raised beds that stagger like stairs. This idea works well if you already have actual stairs leading up to your door or a sloping yard.

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13

Get Curvy

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Straight lines can be a little boring. Switch it up by adding some curves. They can arch around your house and help fill up a large yard that needs some direction.

14

Invite Pollinators

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Flowers aren't going to thrive if you don't have the pollinators like bees around to do the work for you. If you're feeling adventurous, try building a beehive!

15

Keep the Pollinators

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Maybe a beehive isn't quite your thing. That's okay! Just make sure you plant some flowers that attract pollinators to your yard like these pretty portulacas. They look nice and they help out your entire landscape!

SHOP PORTULACA SEEDS

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16

Open the Entryway

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There's nothing more inviting than adding a threshold to get to or in between your garden. This will also help if you've got a vast yard that needs a little direction.

17

Create Hexagons

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Beds don't have to be square. Try these hexagonal plots that easily add dimension and aren't super complicated to assemble. They work well for vegetables, too, if you want to update your potager.

18

Go Round

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Another idea is to plant in a big circle! You can get fancy with some shrubbery to enclose your floral display, but this would also work if you just want to use rocks from around the yard for quick fix.

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19

Build a Border

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Rocks can really do a lot of work! A simple stack of flat rocks add a clean yet not overly rigid border to your space. They also prevent the lawn mower from accidentally clipping your plants!

20

Frame Your Windows

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Your landscape doesn't need to stop on the lawn! Using window boxes gives you an easy-to-tackle finite space and an excuse to plop some annuals in them and be done in a jiffy.

SHOP WINDOW BOXES

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AnnMarie Mattila

Commerce Editor

AnnMarie Mattila is the Commerce Editor for The Pioneer Woman, covering products ranging from home, fashion, beauty, and more.

25 Colorful Flower Bed Ideas for Your Prettiest Yard Yet (2024)

FAQs

How do you make a beautiful flower bed? ›

In general, plants in borders are arranged with tall plants (taller than 2 to 3 feet) placed in the back, mid-size plants (10 inches to 2 to 3 feet tall) in the middle, and short plants (less than 10 inches) in the front of the bed. It is best to use groupings or drifts of plants for a natural feel.

What is the best thing to put in flower beds? ›

Mulch is important for flower beds because it can help with water retention, weed prevention, and root insulation. "Various types of mulch can be used, including wood chips, hardwood bark, compost, or leaves," says Putnam.

What are the best flowers for a flower bed? ›

To attract pollinators to your garden, select flowers and herbs with yellow, red, orange or blue petals and a fresh, mild and flowery sweet scent. Some popular pollinator favorites are zinnias, lantana, bee balm and both annual and perennial sunflowers.

How can I make my garden bed look nicer? ›

Steps to Renovate a Flower Bed
  1. First, Clean It Out. Overgrown, neglected flower beds can be a real mess of weeds, dead flowers, rocks, ratty mulch, and decomposing leaves. ...
  2. Add Screened Topsoil. ...
  3. Put Down Weed Barrier Fabric. ...
  4. Now, the Fun Part: Add Plants. ...
  5. Next up: Add Bark or Mulch.
Feb 18, 2020

How do you make a flower bed stand out? ›

  1. Add a Garden Shed. oceane2508//Getty Images. ...
  2. Create Gentle Curves. Elenathewise//Getty Images. ...
  3. Use Edging to Define a Space. ...
  4. Incorporate Natural Stone Accents. ...
  5. Mix Annuals, Perennials and Shrubs in Flower Beds. ...
  6. Add Containers to Flower Beds. ...
  7. Install a Retaining Wall. ...
  8. Create Whimsical Accents.

What do you put at the bottom of a flower bed? ›

Layer the bottom with cardboard or newspaper as a weed barrier, which will decompose over time. Then, use a mix of yard waste, leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen scraps layered with soil and compost.

What is the number 1 prettiest flower? ›

1. Rose. The rose is considered the most beautiful flower in the world, which is why it's called the “queen of the garden.” It's one of the most popular flowers worldwide, and it comes in different sizes and colors. Also, they're very common throughout the world.

What is the most beautiful flower garden? ›

With nearly 150 million flowers on display, Dubai Miracle Garden quite possibly may be the world's largest natural flower garden. Horticulturists and gardeners designers change the floral structures and exhibitions each season to ensure visitors who come year get a new experience every time.

What is the best color for a flower bed? ›

White and green lend a feeling of lightness and a restful look to the garden. These colors are also very effective when placed into a grouping of boldly-colored plants. They will prevent the strong colors from overpowering the garden. Red and yellow together create a bold, attention-grabbing color mix.

What is the 3 hour gardening rule? ›

The concept is simple: don't go out in the sun to tend to your plants during its strongest rays, which generally occurs between 11 AM and 2 PM.

How do you make a beautiful low maintenance garden? ›

12 Ideas and Tips for Creating a Low-Maintenance Garden
  1. Limit the Variety of Plants in the Garden.
  2. Use Organic Matter for Low Maintenance Garden Beds.
  3. Grow Low Maintenance Garden Plants. ...
  4. Avoid Planting Perennials That Attract Pests.
  5. Use Ground Cover in Your Garden.
  6. Avoid Plants That Need Support.

How do you arrange plants in a flower bed? ›

There are two basic rules when arranging plants in the beds: 1) space the individual plants so that they touch each other when they reach their mature size, and 2) overlap the masses of plants and connect them so that they flow without space between them. Avoid gaps or large open areas between masses.

What is the cheapest way to make a flower bed? ›

Here are a few items you could use, round up or find in your yard to create a raised bed on a small budget.
  1. Bricks.
  2. Stones.
  3. Wood or barn wood (make sure it's chemical free)
  4. Fence pickets.
  5. Cinder blocks.
  6. Galvanized tubs.
May 3, 2023

What makes a good flower bed border? ›

Many popular landscape edging ideas use brick. Brick edging can provide a sophisticated dividing line between your lawn and flower beds. Clay edgers provide a wide range of colors and sizes that can be matched in dimension and color. Select multiple shades, shapes and sizes to make an eye-appealing pattern.

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