Make your own flower bed for a better yard

Want to hide some problem areas in your yard or just jazz it up a notch? Use these tips to get started on making your own flower bed.

• Protect new plants from sliding down a hill in the rain by embedding plastic netting in the soil.
• Put plants that tolerate more moisture at the foot of a hill where runoff accumulates.
• Situate plants that like dry soil in front of a wall. The soil there warms up more, especially if it receives plenty of direct sun.
• Lay dry-soil plants at the corners of a garden, because the corners often dry out quickly.
• Create shade for sensitive plants in very sunny gardens by using shrubs and small trees.

Use a detailed plan to make your work much easier. It will save you cash as well, because you'll end up getting the right plants in the right quantities. If you're a beginner at gardening, start with a few fairly easy-care varieties.

• First prepare a sketch complete with a planting diagram. Take into account the size of the plants when grown and sunny or shady areas.
• Bear in mind that flower beds should never be too narrow. Many plants like to spread out, so leave enough space between them.
• Use a vertical planting scheme for a tiered effect: set out taller plants in the centre of the garden or at the back edge, place medium-sized plants in front of them and put the lowest plants in front.

A flower bed doesn't have to be angular. You can create precise outlines in other shapes, too.

• Map out straight edges by driving two stakes into the planned ends and stretching a string between them.
• Lay out round, oval and elliptical beds by using a garden hose as a guide.
• Create irregularly-shaped flower borders by outlining them in sand or stones.
• Use stepping stones to make it easier to access hard-to-reach spots in your garden without trampling the plants. They also keep the soil looser as you won't compact it by walking on it.
• Lay a layer of mulch between plants to keep soil damp and hold weeds at bay.
• For a more formal or Asian-style flower bed, use white gravel or ballast stones as mulch.