In the last 30 years, island beds have become a popular way to add color, texture and height to a landscape. It gives versatility to the standard square perennial border and can create a ton of interest in the front garden. Whether you love them or hate them, flower islands are here to stay.
Most island beds are placed away from the foundation of the home and are utilized as a stand-out feature in a central area of the lawn where the island can be viewed from all sides. Typically, there is a themed planting in an island bed. Grouping plants together on the island that have similar sun and water needs will reduce maintenance and help keep a more cohesive look. Below is a list of “theme” gardens that work well as an island bed.
List of Themed Garden Ideas -
- Butterfly Pollinator Garden
- Ornamental Edible Garden
- Rock Garden
- Native Perennial Plant Garden
- Color themes (a White or Orange Garden, for instance)
- Japanese Evergreen Garden
- Classic Cottage Garden
- Formal Rose Garden
- Cut Flower Garden
Once you find a good location for the garden on a property, it is then time to decide the size and shape of the bed. Shape the bed creatively; kidney or crescent shapes are interesting, or try rectangular, square, or oval. What theme or style of garden plants would you prefer? Choose the best look, then after a bit of initial planning, it is easy to design the remainder of the garden utilizing the iScape app. In this post you can view several examples of flower islands created with the iScape app.
When the garden design is finished and approved, it is time to install the soil and plants. Mark your area out with paint or flour. Dig the perimeter, removing grass from all the edges. Cover the central part of the island with thick layers of newspaper before placing 6 to 10 inches of topsoil or amended soil on top. The newspaper and heavy soil should kill the grass and weeds below. Plant trees and shrubs first, then ornamental rocks or other accessories. Follow that by planting the shorter perennials and annuals. Building a flower island with a creative design can be a lovely addition to the landscape and is easy to do with iScape.
Download iScape now and learn creative ways to create amazing flower islands. iScape it!
