How to Design a Triangular Shaped Flower Bed

Install a flower bed in a triangular shape to create an interesting landscape design. For example, a lawn area where two sidewalks or two roadways cross might provide a triangle to add flowers. Color, spacing and choice of plants will ensure the flower bed looks appealing over several months of the year. Design the plants to look attractive from every angle, taking into account the heights of the various plants. It's difficult to change a pattern once plantings are in the ground, so measure carefully to fit everything correctly.

Measuring tools

Gardening books

Sketch pad

Graph paper

Measure the triangular space. Include every square inch, so you can experiment with planting designs. Transfer everything to graph paper for final spacing details. Plan to place taller bulbs in the center of the triangle, for example, if the triangular space is in an open yard. Place taller plants along the back side of a triangular flower bed, if it is against a building.

Create a well-organized look for a very formal garden. Incorporate mulch or small pebbles, for example, to separate and define greenery or bedding plants. Install ground cover between plants as another option. Plant four or five full-size rose bushes in the center of the triangle bed and add a border of dwarf rose bushes for a formal look. Don't add too many types of plants -- roses will provide a formal look from all angles.

Use two triangle-shaped flower beds together for contrast. Divide a large square bed with a board across the middle to form two trianglular spaces. Plant red petunias in one triangle bed and white petenuias in the other. Place coral tulips against bright yellow tulips. Install contrasting, triangle-shaped flower beds to add intense color in a condominium complex or along a poolside at an apartment building.

Plant flowers in neat rows to form a fan shape. Use a triangular flower bed to alternate rows of colors, making a pattern that spreads out like a fan. Create fun patterns such as this outside a retail shop or in a child's play area. Use one kind of flower, but two distinct colors, for the fan shape.

Incorporate garden art objects. Use a bird bath or a concrete statue at the center of large triangle flower bed. Plant lots of climbing vines at the center section to climb on the bird bath or statue. Add ground cover and shorter vines to cover the rest of the trianglular space. Place concrete planters of flowers spaced evenly among the shorter vines. Use identical planters, so the triangle bed looks like a well-organized garden from every angle.

Add black plastic under the flowering plants to keep down weeds. This will hold moisture in the ground as well. Punch holes in the plastic for placing individual shrubs or bedding plants.. Once the garden is in place, add mulch or pebbles on top of the plastic.