Hardiness Zones

• Knowing your hardiness zone is the key to successfully selecting and raising flowers. Hardiness zones are geographic regions assigned a hardiness number by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that reflects the growing conditions in that zone, including average minimum temperature and the number of frost-free days. The hardiness zone number is an indication as to whether a particular flower will survive in that region. This is especially important when buying perennial flowers, as they must survive the low winter temperatures in their dormant period to bloom again the following year. Flowers that are perennials in warmer regions may be annuals in colder zones. Annuals live for only one growing season.
  
  

Local Growing Conditions

• Some flowers thrive in full sun and others prefer shade; some like dry, well-drained soil and others grow best in moist humus-rich soil. Understanding the particular growing culture of each type of flower is key to placing it in the right spot in your garden. Identify the many microclimates of sun, soil type and shelter in your yard, and match them to the flower's requirements. Some flowers also grow successfully in containers. Group flowers that have the same sun and moisture requirements in the same container.
  
  

Perennials

• Perennials are plants that regrow from year to year. Bulb flowers, such as tulips, daffodils and lilies, are perennials in most hardiness zones, as are astilbe, black-eyed Susans and bellflowers. Prepare the soil for planting perennials by adding organic compost, as well as peat moss if your soil is too heavy or contains too much clay. Some perennials grow well if you dig them up every few years and divide the root system to form new plants. Unlike annuals, perennials have a defined growing period, so design your garden so that the various perennials bloom at different times.
  
  

Care and Maintenance

• Flowers need to be watered regularly, when the soil dries out. Avoid over-watering, as this can lead to root rot, which destroys the plant. Mulching around the plants with organic mulches, such as bark or grass clippings, or inorganic materials, such as landscape fabric or rocks, keeps moisture in the soil and stops weeds from growing and crowding out the flowers. Perennial flower beds should be fertilized in the spring with a fertilizer high in phosphorous to promote strong stems and plenty of flowers. Use a water-soluble general fertilizer for annuals every two weeks or so during the growing season, or apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer at the start of the season.