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HydrangeasA flower stream is a flower bed designed to look like running water: a narrow, winding strip of low plants "flows" out of a tipped-over clay pot, jug or old wheelbarrow and "spills" across the lawn. The idea is simple, inexpensive and works even in a small garden. Here is how to choose the spot, what to use as the source, which flowers create the water effect and how to care for the bed so it looks good from spring to autumn.
What a flower stream is and how it differs from a dry creek bed
Landscape designers use two similar techniques. A dry creek bed is a channel of pebbles and stones that imitates a dried-up stream; plants only frame its banks. A flower stream is the opposite: the plants themselves become the "water". Most often these are blue, violet-blue and white flowers that fill the channel as a dense carpet and create the illusion of flow.
The best-known example is the "blue river" of grape hyacinths at Keukenhof in the Netherlands, photographed by thousands of visitors every spring. In a private garden the scale is more modest, but the principle is the same: a smooth line, one dominant colour and clear "banks".
Location and shape
- Sun. Most suitable annuals (ageratum, lobelia, sweet alyssum) flower well only with 5–6 hours of sun a day. For partial shade, choose forget-me-nots, bugleweed and periwinkle.
- Slope. A gentle slope is ideal: the stream naturally "runs" downhill, and a change in level can become a small stone "waterfall".
- Width. Near the source the channel is narrow, 20–30 cm, then it widens to 50–80 cm. A strip that is too wide loses the stream effect and becomes an ordinary flower bed.
- Line. Make 2–3 gentle curves. A straight stream looks artificial, and too many bends look fussy.
- Length. Anything from 1.5 m by the porch to 10 m along a path. What matters is that the stream has a "beginning" (the source) and an "end" (a pond, stones or a wide flower "pool").
What to use as the source
The source is the focal point. It is laid on its side and half buried, so it looks as if the container has tipped over and the flowers have spilled out. Good options:
- a large terracotta pot or amphora (the classic choice);
- an old clay jug, crock or small barrel;
- a garden wheelbarrow, galvanised bucket or watering can;
- a wicker basket, treated with wood preservative or it will rot within a season;
- a small decorative wooden bridge with the stream "flowing" beneath it, with no container at all.
Fill the container with soil and plant the same flowers as in the channel, so the flow looks continuous. A cracked or chipped pot is actually a plus: it looks more natural.
How to make a flower stream, step by step
- Mark out. Lay out the channel with a garden hose or rope, look at it from the porch and from a window, and adjust the curves. Then mark the outline with sand.
- Prepare. Lift the turf to a spade's depth and remove the roots of perennial weeds.
- Weed barrier. Lay landscape fabric and cut cross-shaped slits where the plants will go.
- Edging. Set plastic or metal edging strip along both sides so the lawn does not creep into the stream.
- Soil. Fill the channel with loose, fertile soil enriched with compost and set the source in place.
- Plant. Set out the seedlings in a staggered pattern, closer than in an ordinary bed: 15–20 cm apart. Within a month they will knit into a solid carpet.
- Finish. Fill any gaps with fine pebbles or slate chips and place a few larger stones along the "banks".
Which plants to choose
"Water": blue flowers
The base of the stream is low (15–30 cm) blue-toned plants: ageratum, lobelia, Swan River daisy, nemophila and blue petunias. In spring, grape hyacinths, forget-me-nots and squills play the same role: plant the bulbs in autumn and add annuals after they finish flowering. More on spring bloomers in spring flowers in the garden.
"Foam" and "highlights"
Touches of white bring the flow to life. Sweet alyssum (Lobularia) blooms all summer and smells of honey, while candytuft forms dense white cushions. Plant white flowers in small patches along the edges and on the "rapids".
"Banks"
Plants with striking foliage look good along the edges: silvery lamb's ears, silver ragwort (dusty miller), sedums and houseleeks. Succulents tolerate drought and pair well with stones; see ideas in our succulent arrangements guide. Perennial ground covers such as bugleweed, aubrieta and periwinkle spare you from replanting every year.
The stream does not have to be blue: there are "fiery" versions of orange marigolds and nasturtiums, "wine" versions of burgundy petunias and "sunny" ones of yellow portulaca.
Caring for a flower stream
- Watering should be regular, especially for the first 2–3 weeks after planting: a narrow strip dries out faster than a wide bed.
- Feeding with a balanced fertiliser for flowering plants every 2–3 weeks from June to August.
- Deadheading extends the flowering of ageratum and petunias. Overgrown sweet alyssum can be cut back by a third and will soon flower again.
- In autumn remove the annuals, leave the perennials, and bring a clay source pot under cover: wet terracotta cracks in frost.
Frequently asked questions
How many plants does a flower stream need?
At 15–20 cm spacing, roughly 25–40 plants per square metre.
Can I make a flower stream in the shade?
Yes, using forget-me-nots, bugleweed, periwinkle and begonias, though flowering will be less abundant.
How is a flower stream different from a dry creek bed?
In a dry creek bed, stones represent the water; in a flower stream, the plants do.
Do I need landscape fabric?
It is advisable: weeds are very noticeable in a narrow strip, and weeding a dense planting is awkward.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
