How to Create a Rustic Flower Garden

Co-authored by Lauren Kurtz and Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: September 20, 2022 References

A flower garden decorated in a rustic style can add a beautiful and welcoming touch to your yard. You can create a charming rustic flower garden even in a very small space, with a little planning. Start by creating a rough plan for your garden's layout. Choose plants that can grow in your climate and the space available to you. Once you've planted your garden, try some simple decorative techniques to add a rustic touch.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Planning Your Garden

1
Pick a location for your garden. Look at your yard, and decide where you would like to put the garden. Your garden should be somewhere where you can easily see it and appreciate its beauty, preferably from both inside and outside your home.^{[1]
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Research source} Also think about some of the following:
- Does the area you have in mind get enough sunlight for the type of flowers you want?
- Does the area have good soil drainage, or does it tend to accumulate a lot of standing water after rainstorms and snow thaws?
- Is your potential gardening area on relatively flat or gently sloping ground? It is much more difficult to plant on steep slopes.
2
Sketch out a plan for your garden. It's easier to plan if you can visualize what you want. Make a quick sketch of your property, indicating any buildings, decks and patios, the driveway, fences, or any other major features. Don't forget to consider the drainage patterns in your yard. Also mark in any pre-existing gardens, shrubs, or trees.^{[2]
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- Once you've made your starting sketch, you can start roughing in your ideas for flower beds.
- In addition to flowers, try sketching in other elements you'd like to add to your garden, like stone walkways and borders, fences, trellises, or garden sculptures.
3
Determine your plant hardiness zone. Once you've come up with a basic design for your garden, it's time to decide on your flowers. The first step is to find out what kinds of flowers can thrive in your area.
- If you live in the US, determine your plant hardiness zone by looking at the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scene74a6.html
- You can find information about plant hardiness zones in areas outside the US here: https://www.gardenia.net/guides/climate-zones
- Once you know your hardiness zone, keep it on hand when you are researching potential plants for your garden. If you select plants that are outside your hardiness zone, they may not survive the temperature extremes of winter and summer.
4
Make sure you have nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. You will need to know what kind of soil you have before you start selecting and planting flowers. Good soil should be fluffy, dark, and rich in nutrients for your plants. It should also have good drainage, since most plants don't thrive well in overly damp or boggy soil.^{[3]
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- Take a sample of your soil to a garden store in your area to have its pH and nutrient levels evaluated.
- If necessary, you can modify the composition of your soil by adding fertilizer, pH-altering substances like lime or sulfur, or other components.
5
Select flowers for your garden. After you've evaluated your space and the type of planting environment you have, it's time for the fun part – choosing your flowers. First, narrow down your selection to plants that work with your hardiness zone, soil type, and the amount of available sunlight in your garden. Then, consider some of the following:
- What sorts of colors do you want in your garden? Depending on your personal style, you might want a rainbow of colors, or a more limited palette (e.g., different shades of blue and yellow).
- Are you interested in flowers that attract pollinating insects, like honey bees and butterflies? Do you want tall, short, or medium-height flowers, or a mixture?
- Do research online or visit a garden center or botanic garden to get ideas. It can also be very helpful to speak with a horticultural professional, who can steer you in the right direction.
6
Pick flowers with a rustic vibe. While the types of flowers you select will be largely determined by your zone, some varieties may give your garden a more casual, rustic feel than others. A few good choices include:^{[4]
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- Hollyhocks. These tall, brightly-colored flowers are an excellent choice for planting along walls and fences. They are hardy in zones 3-9.
- Hydrangeas. These are low, broad shrubs that produce massive, spherical clusters of delicate flowers, typically ranging in color from white to pastel blue, pink, or purple. They are hardy in zones 4-9.
- Roses. These classic flowers make a gorgeous and fragrant addition to any garden. They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes, from big red “El Toro” roses to tiny pastel tea roses. Depending on the variety, they can thrive in a number of hardiness zones.
- Coneflowers. These sturdy, daisy-like flowers come in a variety of colors, including white, pale purple, and crimson. They are also attractive to birds and butterflies. They are hardy in zones 3-9.
- Catmint. This fragrant herb is easy to grow, produces delicate sprays of purple flowers with attractive silvery foliage, and has the added benefit of repelling mosquitoes. It is hardy in zones 4-8.
7
Decide on a color scheme. While the term “rustic” tends to conjure up warm, muted, earthy tones, you need not feel limited to these kinds of colors in your garden. Think about how the colors of the flowers you pick might look together, and how they will complement the colors that already exist around your home and yard. Consider how the plants or flowers will change colors throughout the seasons and year. Many plants have beautiful foliage in the fall and winter.
- Cool, pale pastels can give your garden a dreamy, fairy-tale look.
- Warm reds, oranges, and gold tones give a garden a homey, comforting feel, especially in the summer and autumn.
- Bright, gem-like colors, like vibrant reds, yellows, blues, and purples, can create an attractive complement to dark or muted colors on your property.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Planting Your Garden

1
Mark out your flower beds. Before you start planting, mark out the edges of your planned flower beds. You can do this with a garden hose, or even with a little flour or lime. Plan to make your beds at least 2–3 feet (0.61–0.91 m) wide, so there is plenty of room for your flowers.^{[5]
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- Flower beds can be laid out along fences, walls, or the edges of walkways. You can also build circular flower beds around the bases of trees.
- You can also build an “island” flower bed in the middle of your lawn.
2
Prepare your soil. Once you have marked out where your beds will be, prepare the areas for planting. This will involve clearing out any plants that are already growing in the area, and making sure the soil is aerated and full of nutrients.
- Dig up the top 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) of sod, making sure to dig out all grass and weeds by the roots.
- Break up and turn over the soil with a shovel or rotary tiller. Remove any rocks or other large objects that you dig up.
- If you need to, add fertilizer, compost, or other components to the soil.
- Turn the soil again, and lightly water it.
3
Arrange flowers by height. In general, your garden will look best if you place the tallest flowers at the back of the bed, and the shortest at the front. This way, your view of (and access to) the shorter flowers will not be blocked by the taller ones.^{[6]
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- For flowers planted in an “island” bed, taller flowers can be placed in the center, with shorter flowers around the edges.
For a rustic, spontaneous look, try not to plant your flowers in rigid formations or patterns. Avoid extremely straight rows and groups of alternating colors. Instead, plant your flowers in loose clusters (small, circular groups) or drifts (long, loose rows) of intermingling colors.^{[7]
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5
Install a trellis for climbing flowers. A wood or wrought-iron trellis can add an attractive rustic touch to your garden. Dress up a plain wall or fence in your yard by setting up a trellis and planting it with climbing roses or morning glories.
- If you don't want to buy or build an elaborate trellis, you can try making trellises from repurposed objects, like vintage wagon wheels or old gardening tools.^{[8]
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You can add interest to your garden by putting a few planters in among the flowers in your beds. Try planting some trailing flowers or vines in a wooden keg barrel.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Decorating Your Garden

1
Give your flower beds a decorative border. After your beds are planted, you can give them an attractive edge using stones, logs, or bricks.
- For a uniquely beautiful rustic garden border, try making a woven wood garden border.^{[10]
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  Research source} This can be done by weaving pruned raspberry canes along bamboo supports, using a basic basket-weaving technique.
2
Decorate with repurposed objects. Giving your garden a rustic touch can be as simple as adding a few repurposed tools and objects.^{[11]
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Research source} You might try:
- Putting a planter in a wheelbarrow.
- Lining up some flower pots on an old wooden bench.
- Leaning some vintage garden or farm tools (like rakes or pitchforks) against a wall and allowing vines to creep up them.
- Placing flower pots on the rungs of a wooden step-ladder.
3
Add a stone or gravel path. A winding path is a beautiful and welcoming addition to a garden. While garden paths can be made with pavers or concrete, a more informal and truly rustic effect can be achieved with one of the following:
- Stepping stones. This will look most natural if you use unfinished, irregular slabs of stone. Ideally, your stones should be 12–18 inches (30–46 cm) across, and about 2 inches (5.1 cm) thick. You can get stones like these from a landscape supplier.
- Gravel or mulch. For this kind of path, all you need is some landscape fabric to put underneath your material, and metal or plastic edging to keep it in place.
4
Install birdhouses. Birdhouses are beautiful in themselves, and will also attract birds to your garden. Birdhouses can be installed on fences or walls in your garden, or set on a post or upright log installed in one of your flower beds.^{[12]
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- You might encourage vines or other climbing plants to grow up around your birdhouse.
- Don't forget to install a couple of bird feeders and bird baths, as well.
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Question

What kind of flowers could I plant under a tree?

Community Answer

You could plant coleus, rose moss for ground cover, or even hostas.

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Question

I have a somewhat shady area and have planted a few plants on that end of my flower garden. I planted the herbal vine/plant immortality in it, and a few others that are for planting in shade. Any suggestions?

Community Answer

The type of plants that you can grow in your garden will depend on your hardiness zone. Look up your plant hardiness zone and look for shade or partial shade plants that can grow in your area.

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How do you prevent the roots of perennials from freezing during winter? Should the box be lined with Styrofoam?

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The roots of hardy perennials are adapted to freezing. Styrofoam will not prevent the planter from freezing.

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