There are endless options regarding what you can do with your garden, and fortunately, it’s not necessary to spend a fortune to make a stunning space in your front- or backyard. From beginners to experts, those with a passion for gardening can create a beautiful space with tools from a landscaping store in Loveland. With good design and thorough planning, landscaping in Loveland becomes much easier than people think. Here are some ideas for themes for your garden space.

Edible Gardens

An edible garden can be of any size and grows crops that can be eaten, such as herbs, seeds, berries, plants, and other things. For those who are worried about not having enough space to do much, this is one of the best ideas to execute in a limited area. All that is needed are a few pots or containers to grow the plants in. An edible garden can even be built in a window box.

An edible garden is a wonderful way to grow organic fruits and vegetables and ensure that the greens on one’s plate are fresh and healthy. It also has the added benefit of being more inexpensive when compared to buying fruits and vegetables from the store.

Luckily, having one’s own fresh and organic fruits and vegetables is not very tough. The key is to determine the right environment for the plants to grow. With some commitment and persistence, fresh fruits and vegetables will be available in one’s own backyard. The right environment consists of three main things: an ample amount of sunlight, fertile soil, and enough amounts of water. While the latter two can be managed more easily, attempting to grow an edible garden in a space that does not receive enough sunlight is a recipe for failure. Therefore, when picking a space, ensure all the plants in the area will receive a good amount of natural sunlight daily. Additionally, pick a spot that would not be facing the wind directly.

After picking a spot that is sure to receive enough sunlight, check the condition of the soil in that spot. This is a necessary step for those that choose to do in-ground planting. The alternative to this is raised container beds. If the soil conditions are not up to the mark, they can be improved by adding compost. The addition of compost will create rich and fertile soil that allows healthy crops to flourish.

Start an edible garden with plants that are easy to grow, like heirloom seeds. Heirloom seeds are those that are passed down without their original traits changing. They are open-pollinated or pollinated by nature, such as birds, insects, or the wind. Heirloom seeds that are easy to grow include:

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Radishes

For those interested in growing herbs, basil and thyme are a good start as they are very low maintenance and can grow healthily in any soil conditions, regardless of the amount of sun they receive.

Cutting Gardens

Gardens, where flowers are grown for the sole purpose of being beautiful to look at, are cutting gardens. Flowers are grown and cut for bouquets or other arrangements. Cutting these flowers is not damaging to the plant, and new flowers are able to grow in their place.

Flowers are a bit tricky to grow as there are annual and perennial flowers. If the intention is to grow flowers for bouquets or centerpieces, pick flowers that have longer stems as they are easier to incorporate in arrangements. Since most, if not all, flowers grow at specific times of the year, a tip for picking which flowers to grow in a cutting garden is to include flowers that grow at different times throughout the year. This ensures there will be flowers blooming in a garden year-round.

For beginners, some flowers that are easy to grow are:

• Roses
• Marigolds
• Daffodils
• Sunflowers
• Iris
• Violets

In addition to growing at specific times in a year, certain flowers grow better in certain areas or climates. To find out what flowers bloom in one’s specific area, gain guidance from landscape supply in Fort Collins or landscape supply in Loveland.

Xeriscape Garden

For those that are more environmentally conscious, xeriscaping is a great way to garden while keeping the environment’s best interests in mind. This is because xeriscaping encourages water conservation by reducing or completely eliminating the need for irrigation. The word ‘xeriscape’ is derived from the Greek word Xeros, which means dry—xeriscape literally translates to dry landscaping.

It was originally a gardening method in areas that struggled with drought but, over time, has become a popular method of landscaping across the United States. It achieves water conservation by working with native plants that require little water and maintenance, such as cacti and succulent plants. Lawn grass is discouraged in xeriscaping, which is perhaps the biggest reason for the decreased water irrigation. Lawn grass requires a lot of watering, and so eliminating it significantly reduces water consumption. In addition to conserving water by up to 75 percent, xeriscaping also provides the following benefits:

• Reduces pollution by limiting the need for mowing; gas mowers require fuel.
• Native plants are tough and can grow just fine in healthy soil. This eliminates the need for pesticides.
• Reduced maintenance is also a great perk for those that cannot dedicate hours tending to their gardens. At most, xeriscape gardens require some weeding and trimming.

Plants that are commonly used in xeriscape landscaping are called xeric plants. Their main characteristic is that they are able to work with very little water and so can handle droughts. It is worth keeping in mind that how well a plant is able to handle drought is relative. Research xeric plants that would thrive in a specific region before choosing which to grow.

These are some common and fairly easy themes to consider for your garden. Explore all the options and prepare well before getting started. Whether it’s an edible garden for fresh produce, a cutting garden for flowers, or a xeriscape garden for water conservation, the possibilities are endless. With the right tools and supplies from a reputable landscaping store in Loveland, creating a stunning garden is within reach for any gardening enthusiast.