One of the greatest joys for a garden enthusiast is bringing his or her vision to life each year! Does that sound like you? The ability to express yourself through nature is a true gift. In fact, you're probably already thinking about your next growing season.

Each year brings new possibilities and an endless array of choices. Dreaming of your spring plans can get you through the long, grey winters here in Michigan. Luckily, our team has been in business since 2003, giving us the experience we need to help our clients design their perfect landscape. We are here to help you get started with designing the garden bed of your dreams! Below are some design tips to help you choose the best plants, ground covering, accessories, and edging for your garden beds.

1. Strategically pick and place your plants.

Strategically placed plants in landscape bed with mulch in Grand Rapids, MI.

When choosing what plants to use, consider how your choices will fit into your current design. Are you seeing green, leafy, and fertile? Or soft, dreamy, and full of blooms? You will want to select plant colors that blend well with the surrounding grounds and the overall scheme of your garden bed design.

You may also want to consider the care and effort that different types of plants will require of you. Not all plants make good neighbors, and some are needier than others. Finally, arrange your selection in a way that avoids empty spaces or overlaps with other foliage.

2. Choose the best ground covering.

Edged landscape bed with mulch ground covering in Ada, MI.

Think about the colors of your dream garden in bloom. Do you want a ground covering that gives a pop of color, or are you envisioning a nice neutral to tie everything together? Luckily, you have many types of mulch in various colors that you can take a look at.

If mulch is not entirely your style, consider using rocks! This option is great for those who love earthy tones. A big perk of using rocks is that they are even more low-maintenance than mulch is, as they won't decompose. You will only have to replace your rock ground covering once they start to look a little worn from the sun exposure.

If you're unsure which option is best for you, take a look at our blog that outlines all of the differences between mulch and rocks.

3. Add boulders to your garden bed.

Landscape bed with boulders in Grand Haven, MI.

Do not underestimate the power of the humble boulder to enhance your garden bed design. Boulders can add height and act as a transition between your plants and your bushes and trees. You can use them to create a focal point in your design and create a frame-like focus of an area.

4. Edge your garden bed with the perfect material.

Landscape bed edged with stone in Cannon Township, MI.

Many property owners forget about the power of edging when it comes to designing their landscape beds! The edging of a garden bed is the material used to create a distinct separation between the end of the lawn and the start of the bed.

Not only does edging tie your creation together, but it also makes lawn mowing more manageable and gives your property an instant makeover. There are many material options when it comes to edging. From brick to concrete to natural stone, it all depends on your personal style!

Ready to design your dream landscape bed? Call us today!

We have expert designers on staff who are ready to help you choose the best plants and materials for your landscape beds. Using focal points, unity, color matching, and a 6-step design process to ensure that the project runs smoothly, you will be left with the landscape bed of your dreams. Our team proudly serves Grand Rapids, Ada, and Cascade, as well as surrounding areas in Michigan. Give us a call today at (616) 293-0361 to schedule a consultation!