How do I start a flower bed?

Here you go, these will get you started.

https://m.wikihow.com/Start-a-Flower-Garden

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/starting/how-to-build-a-flower-bed-starting-a-flower-bed-from-scratch.htm

https://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/garden-care/ten-steps-to-beginning-a-garden/

When I purchased my current home years ago, the backyard was a blank slate. I have revamped them several times over the years. So don't worry if you want to add, change or modify your original design.

I would spade the dirt/grass, working one shovel full at a time, shake out the dirt, but compost or throw the grass and roots. If you want to be sure you kill all the grass and weeds first, you can spray the area with round-up and then spade it up a week later. After it's cleaned up, add some more topsoil and then plant. It's helpful to lay out a garden hose to determine the shape of the bed, and then spray it with spray paint on the grass. Next thing is you may want to consider an edging, dividing where you mow and where the bed is. Here are a few edging ideas for you. After the plants are established, I 'd recommend using this weed inhibitor to keep weed seeds from germinating. And use bark mulch to keep moisture in the dirt.

Dig down at least 8"s to remove all grass in the area, line edges with good deep edging so grass does not reenter area,add topsoil to area to raise it level, tamping it down as you add,so when you water it doesn't run into area flooding plants rotting them needs sufficient drainage. Plant Zinnia,Cosmos,Bee Balm,Roses,Lilies,Tulips,ConeFlowers,Coreopsis,Calendula,Daylilies,Freesia,Rudebekia,Balsam,Batchelor Buttons,Salvia,Pentstomen. these will give you year round color, good for Bees,Butterflies & Hummingbirds. Some are Annuals(grow one season most reseed themselves,or collect seeds to replant),Perennials(grow back every year for many years) Bulbs/Corms & Tubers

I would suggest putting shade cloth down & cutting slots to plant thru for each plant, then mulching with pine needles instead of bark mulch since bed is in contact with wooden legs of deck (or will be if too much fill is added!) Bark can attract termites which pine needles don't & pine needles are not only a physical barrier - they put out a mild chemical barrier to prevent other seeds from sprouting - that's why pine forests don't have a lot of competing undergrowth plants!

Last year I cleaned out some junk/gravel/etc next to my front porch, and laid down 1" of potting soil, sprinkled $10 worth of seeds, and then another 1" of soil. Got a ton of rain that night, but watered it lightly 7 days a week for the time being until I saw growth. At 90 days I had dragon's breath nearly head high!

I LOVE putting in garden beds! I find it so focused and the best way to connect with the nature that is around me. Before you set your heart on this particular site, is the garden something that you want to give your house curb/yard appeal? Is there a water spigot nearby? It looks like it's at the base of an old deck - do you plan to replace and boards or restain the deck? If so, you may want to do these things before working on flower beds.

The most interesting flower beds will not have all straight lines. Decide basically how large an area you want to take on for your first season of care. Gardening doesn't have to be difficult (so much info using Google!) but it does have a degree of physical toll. Once you have flower beds "under control" - 2-3 years or so - AND you've learned the basics of choosing plants, weeding, watering, etc. it gets to the point you can expand.

Choose a bed location that you feel is "prime". You'll get much more satisfaction working where everyone can admire your skills! I've found the easiest way to start ridding my new bed of weeds is lay some newspapers down after a light hosing and then sprinkling out a LOT of table salt on the grass. Lightly hose the newspaper so it doesn't blow away and then splash white vinegar all over them. Hose again to be certain it's all soaked. Cover the newspapers with plastic - use whatever (grocery bags, garbage bags, painters plastic tarp, though opaque plastic is best. Kill under the edges of the deck.

After 1-2 weeks take all the coverings off. All the grass & weeds should be brown and smothered. Now take an edging shovel and cut what will be the outer shape of your flower bed. Such as, if your stairs down to lawn jut out, make the bed extend out along the stairs with a bulbous end and a straight portion to the corner of the deck. You can use spray paint, hose, string, etc. to mark out your shape. Yes, shovel down 4-6 inches and by hand, pull out all the clumps of roots and discard in wheelbarrow or wheeled garbage cans. The better you clean this out now, the less work in the future.

Go to Home Depot for bags of garden soil, compost and mulch. They have the best sale prices. If your soil is clayey add a bit of sand to prevent clumping. Amend your soil by using the bags of new soil and compost. Use about 2:1 soil to compost. Mix Preen weed control at this point. NO weed barrier - blocks water and fertilizer from reach the flowers' roots. Build up the height of the bed about 4". Yes, spend the money on edging!

ONLY buy perennials at first (return yearly) as putting in enough plants is pricey. Anything w/ flowers that die on them should be "deadheaded" and toss seeds back in the soil to see what comes up.

ONLY buy things native to your growing zone and sun conditions! Easier to work with Mother Nature!

Read labels!!! Put plants that get tall in back of the bed, working down in height to the front. Looks best if you get 2-3 plants the same and put them next to each other for fullness (space per label).

Expect some failures until you find out who likes you and your yard best lol!

Water well right after planting then only 1-2x/week unless drought + heat. Put 3-4" mulch over soil in bed leaving base of flowers free. Use Miracle Gro every 2-4 weeks. Happy growing 😎💐