11 Best Flower Bed Ideas to Try in Your Garden

Classic Nantucket house with lots of flowers on exterior. — Final Touches Redesign

Picture this: The sun is shining, the weather is warm, and you’ve got your gardening gloves on. It’s the perfect time to clean up your weedy flower bed and start anew. Nothing says spring quite like colorful flowers do—they’re basically the hallmark of springtime.

You might be wondering how to perfectly design your flower bed. If so, you’re in the right place—we rounded up standout flower bed ideas to provide some horticultural inspiration.

What Is a Flower Bed?

A flower bed is any garden plot in which flowers are grown and displayed.

Read on to see some of our favorite rustic, tropical, and cottage-inspired flower bed ideas.

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Go Beyond the Bed

Black exterior door with rose bush. — Design: Mindy Gayer, Photo: Vanessa Lentine

This stunning exterior design from Mindy Gayer goes beyond the flower bed and instead trails these climbing roses up the wall. The contrast between the white and green rosebush and the moody black exterior makes for some stunning visual interest.

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Spring for a Charming Cottage Garden

Cottage flower bed with hydrangeas. — Sarah Lynch/Getty Images

Overflowing with hydrangeas, this delightful little cottage-inspired flower bed feels like a breath of fresh springtime air. The slabs of rock feel organic and not too staged, giving it a natural and whimsical feel.

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Layer with Lush Greenery

Outdoor flower bed with greenery. — Design: Mindy Gayer, Photo: Vanessa Lentine

Your flower bed can be filled with much more than just florals. Here, small bushes and other greenery give an organic, classic look to the flower bed.

If you’re establishing a flowerbed, it would be a great idea to fill it with perennial greenery that will outlast your flowers when the season begins to cool down.

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Embellish Your Exterior

Modern house with large floral bed. — Dreamwood Photography/Stocksy

We are green with envy looking at this gorgeous home and its equally gorgeous flower bed, which is so lush and overgrown that it is spilling over the sides of its confines. The exterior of this home is already show-stopping, and the addition of florals only adds to its curb appeal.

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Make it Monochromatic

Flower bed in a park filled with pink flowers. — Simone Anne/Stocksy

Creating a monochromatic flower bed is a wonderful way to add a serious dose of color to your garden, and here, this look springs for lots of pinks and rosy hues. Mellow out your bright colors with deeper hues of the same shade for balance.

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Think Upwards

Row of flower beds next to vertical trellis. — Raymond Forbes Photography/Stocksy

Why limit yourself to what will grow horizontally in a flower bed? There are plenty of flowers which, when trellised, will prefer to grow upwards. Adding additional space for these varieties by means of arches or trellises will broaden your options for spring florals.

There are tons of floral varieties that love to climb, including roses, hydrangeas, ivy, and honeysuckle. These would be perfect for growing along any pergola or trellis.

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Add Pops of Color

Whimsical flower bed with bright colorful flowers. — Holl is Joyous

These brightly-colored florals really pop against the rich, deeply-colored soil lining this flower bed. This design shows that there is no need to stop at just a flower bed when landscaping: Adding a fun-sized pond nearby will give way to more wildlife filling your backyard.

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Overflow Your Space with Flowers

Exterior with concrete flower bed and large bush. — Dreamwood Photography/Stocksy

Though sowing seeds sporadically will lead to a rustic, organic look to your flower bed, sometimes you need a plant that is really going to make an impact. A large statement bush like the one above serves as the perfect space filler for any flower bed.

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Keep it Soft and Sweet

Cottage garden bed with pastel flowers. — KG Designs

In true springtime fashion, opt for soft pastel hues in the flowers you choose for your bed. This creates a delicate look to the space that is sure to brighten your day each time you look at it.

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Go All Out

Sprawling garden area with lots of flowers. — KG Designs

We are so envious of this gorgeous garden space, lined with loads of flower beds and dreamy, tall trees. Nature compliments itself perfectly, so consider placing flower beds close to other pieces of your exterior that are already growing, like trees and bushes.

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Layer On the Florals

This classic cottage-inspired home is a floral showhouse, with tons of gorgeous spring blooms proudly on display. Variety is key when creating a visually intriguing flower bed that will surprise you each time you look at it. Here, each type of flower shines brightly alongside one another—and we're all the more motivated to get out and sow some seeds.

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