Ask a child to draw a garden, and he'll draw some flowers. Give
a gardener no more space than a front stoop, and what will
appear there is a flowerpot. For many, flowers are the
definition of a garden. No matter what your level of experience,
you can have blooming beauty in your life. But for your flowers
to do best, it helps to understand a few basics about how
flowers work and what they need. Sun is essential. Building a
flower takes a lot of energy, and all a plant's energy comes
from the sun. So most flowering plants need a full-sun site --
where sunlight falls 6 to 8 hours a day all through the growing
season. Try Burpee's Sunlight Calculator to test the amount of
sun your garden receives. Success is in the soil. Good soil --
not too sandy, not too sticky, with enough organic matter to
make it drain well and be inviting to plant roots -- is
essential for successful flower gardening, just as it is for
vegetables. After all, vegetables such as squash and tomatoes
are formed from flowers. Test the pH and fe