Hi there, and congrats on starting a flower garden. To get to the root of this project first dig into the sod using a flat shovel scoop under the grass roots and remove the old lawn. If you have a lot of time you can also just cover the old lawn with old newspaper and six inches of compost and let the old grass rot below the compost. If you choose the quicker method (but also the sweaty method as digging out sod is hard work) you must still add 3 to 4 inches of topsoil or compost and work this into the soil. Improving the soil is the foundation of a successful garden. Next add your plants but when you dig the planting holes include a complete fertilizer like Osmocote into the root zone following the instructions on the label. Firm the soil around the plant roots gently do not stomp with your feet. Than add a mulch on top of the soil to keep down weeds and conserve water. Always water the root zone of newly planted flowers and keep the soil moist but not wet until new roots are established. You can buy bags of compost or garden soil from nurseries and garden centers and you will also find bags of mulch. Good luck and send us some photos of your first flowers to bloom. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti