Perennials the Mainstay of Your Garden

Wednesday, June 28th, 2006 at 7:54 pm

Perennial flowers are the mainstays of any garden. They are the powerhouse plants that perform, well, perennially, and they are some of the favorite plants of many people.

So what are perennial plants and how are they different from annuals? Perennials are more long-lived than annuals, which die back at the end of a season. Perennials may go dormant in the winter, but they usually come back the next spring.

Shrubs are perennial plants because they don't die after a year (or, one hopes, several years) of growth. They tend to grow more slowly than annuals, and they are often more expensive because you are making a longer-term investment in your landscaping by planting perennials instead of annuals.

Both perennial flowers and annual flowers have a place in the garden, but perennials give you hardy plants and recurring blooms year after year with little extra work on your part.

The other great thing about perennial flowers is that there are so many different kinds of flowers to choose from. No matter what type of look you are going for in your yard or what kind of light requirement you have, you'll easily be able to find the perfect plant for you. Here are a few of the classics:

Aster: These beautiful little violet, blue, pink or white flowers do well in full sun and bloom in the late summer or fall. They look like daisies and bring color when everything else is losing its luster.

Bleeding Heart: A wonderful flower for partial shade, the bleeding heart has pink or white flowers that look like drooping hearts. They grow almost anywhere in the United States, but go dormant in the summer in very hot climates.

Calla Lilly: Calla lilies are classic, beautiful, trumpet shaped flowers that are only perennial in the warmest of climates. A thick mulch can be beneficial in helping them survive in cooler climates. They're also great for containers that can be brought inside in the winter.

Daylily: The lily family includes a wide range of flowers, in many different colors. Daylilies are much more cold hardy than calla lilies, and grow well in full sun or partial shade. They bloom in the late spring or summer and are planted from bulbs, which makes them very easy to care for.

Hostas: The perfect choice for shady gardens, hostas are mostly known as foliage plants but also have small white or purple flowers. Choose from plain green leaves or variegated leaves in shades of white or yellow, or even blue.

Pinks: A cheerful flower for the sunny garden, pinks actually come in white and darker rose shades as well. They grow in most parts of the country, bloom in late spring and like lots of air circulation between the plants.

Sunflower: The ultimate in high-summer flowers, sunflowers come in more than 150 varieties that are suited, of course, for the sunny garden. Sunflowers tend to self-seed, meaning when the flowers mature they make seeds, and those that don't get eaten by the birds will fall and make new flowers the next year.

Violets: The best thing about early spring is seeing flowers for the first time after a long winter. Violets are one of the stars of the early spring garden, coming in purple as well as white and blue. They are great for shady spots, though some varieties will live happily in the sun in cooler climates.

Whatever perennial flowers you choose, you will be sure to get years of enjoyment out of your investment!

Tags: Perennial Flowers