- 1
Planning a walkway border begins with measuring the existing feature.Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images
Measure the length and width of the walkway. - 2). Lay a rope or garden hose alongside the path to help you visualize the width; most walkway borders are 2 to 3 feet wide. The flexible rope or hose will help you incorporate sweeping curves and rounded corners, which are more visually pleasing.
- 3). Measure the width of the border you have laid out. Consider taking pictures for later reference, especially if your walkway is curved or branching or if your design is complicated.
- 4
Graph paper allows you to represent real-life measurements on a small-scale plan.Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
Transfer the measurements to graph paper with a pencil. The most common scale is to use one square of the graph paper to represent one foot, but if your design if particularly large, you will need to reduce the scale, or use multiple pages. Sketch the curves or other design features. - 5). Use a flat-bottomed shovel to cut into the turf along your planned flower border, referring to your sketched plan as you go. Insert the shovel straight down, and lever it slightly back and forth. Double-check this design against your plan and any pictures before removing the turf.
- 6
A flat-bottomed shovel is the ideal tool for removing turf, while a garden fork works well for working in compost and other amendments.Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
Remove the turf from the planned border. Insert the shovel into the narrow cut you made, then angle it sharply in, beneath the shallow roots of the grass. Lever the shovel down to lift up the grass. - 7). Test the exposed soil, using a commercially available soil testing kit. If you have reason for concern about your soil quality, you can arrange for professional testing with your local extension office. If the test shows that necessary nutrients are missing, or that the soil is too alkaline or too acidic, use a gardening fork to work in the amendments recommended by the test kit.
- 8
Crocus are colorful, cold-tolerant flowers that bloom in early spring.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Choose flowers based on the results of your soil test, on the sun exposure of your border, and on your climate. Plants are rated for their U.S.D.A Hardiness Zone, indicating the extremes of temperature that they can endure. - 9). Work 2 to 3 inches of compost into the soil of your bed, using a garden fork. If you do not have your own compost heap, you can buy bagged compost at a garden center.
- 10
Plant the largest flowers first, placing those that grow in low mounds in the center of the border. If your bed lies along a fence, you can plant taller flowers at the back. To plant, dig a hole that is approximately the size of the transplant's container (or root ball, if it does not have a container). Gently spread the roots apart with your hands, and place the plant into the hole. Replace the soil, patting it firmly around the roots. - 11
Creeping phlox is a popular flowering ground cover, well suited to filling in around larger plants in a border.Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
Plant lower, spreading flowers along the edges of the border, using the same technique as with the larger plants. - 12
Fertilize new plants according to the instructions from your garden center or the recommendations of your extension agent. - 13
Newly planted flowers need a thorough watering.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
Water the soil of new border flowerbed thoroughly, letting the water soak in along the entire length of the bed, and reaching each of the new plants. - 14
Spread mulch over the border, covering all the exposed soil. This will prevent moisture from evaporating too quickly, while helping prevent the growth of weeds.
Source...