A Guide to Seasonal Care for Perennial Plants

Tall Phlox

Tall Phlox - Phlox Paniculata Tall Phlox is a perennial plant valued for its upright growth habit, showy clusters of fragrant, colorful flowers, and attractiveness to pollinators. It is a popular choice in gardens and borders and is often used in landscaping for its numerous benefits. Here are some advantages of incorporating them into your landscape design. Known for its vibrant colors, this flower is a popular addition to many home gardens. Native to North America, this stunning plant can grow in many different environments. Your garden can liven up flower beds and walkway borders during the warmer months of the year. Enjoy Tall Phlox in Your Flower Beds As a perennial, this stunning plant will return year after year. Known as a favorite among beginning gardeners, this flower can be used in many parts of your garden. You can find this flower in landscapes and along slopes. It is often tucked into garden beds. While it is famous as a landscape plant, many people also grow it for its potential as a cut flower. Discover Green Leaves and Fragrant Flowers With Tall Phlox Because of its growth habits, you never struggle to see them. This upright flower typically grows about 3 feet in height. If you need a shorter option for your gardening beds, some cultivars grow only 2 feet. Beloved by pollinators, it is a common addition to butterfly and hummingbird gardens. Once the flowers start blooming, you can enjoy having them throughout the summer. They Come In A Rainbow of Colors You don’t have to limit yourself to just one when picking a color. Depending on the cultivar, you can find them in just about any shade you can think of. While it is trendy in shades of blue and purple, it can also be found in pink, orange, and white hues. Besides its stunning flowers, it is also recognizable because of its dark green foliage. When the fragrant florets arrive, they form flower heads that are about 5 to 6 inches in size. If you are short on space, these flowers can grow well in planters. Whether you want to include them in your flower beds or a container garden, there are many ways to incorporate this stunningly beautiful flower into your garden. What are the best conditions for growing them They can grow best in locations where it receives full sunlight and shade as well. It prefers soils that are well-drained and have organic matter. By consistently providing the plant with ample moisture during the dry season, it will develop lush blooms and have healthy growth. When do they bloom It blooms from around mid-summer to early fall; it provides a burst of color when many other perennial plants are done flowering. The flowers are long-lasting and thus suitable to decorate any landscape in the garden. How can I keep mine healthy and vigorous Deadheading needs to be done on a regular basis to ensure that the plant keeps blooming, and also help prevent self-seeding. Provide adequate water and good airflow to help prevent powdery mildew. Can they attract pollinators They attracts bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds. The plants have sweet-scented flowers that not only complement the beauty of your garden but also support local ecosystems. Is it suitable for cut flower arrangements Tall phlox's upright stems with bright colors make it ideal for cut flower arrangements. They can be plast for days in a vase and bring qualities of elegance and charm indoors.

Blue Vervain

Blue Vervain: Verbena Hastata The Blue Vervain is an adaptable, low-maintenance perennial that lends vertical interest to gardens and natural landscapes. This wildflower is distinguished by long, thin, purple-blue spikes of flowers that can be found everywhere, from meadows to rain gardens and pollinator habitats. Blue Vervain: An Awe-Inspiring Wildflower It can be planted easily and successfully in moist, draining soils or clay or sandy soils. It thrives in full sun but is also tolerant of mild shade, which gives it a wide range of design choices. Once established, it doesn’t require much care, aside from a few sprays during dry periods and deadheading, because the heads of its seeds look naturally beautiful. Blooming and Seasonal Color of Blue Vervain It opens mid to late summer, usually between July and September. The graceful spikes have tiny tubular blue-violet flowers that unfold slowly from bottom to top. It's long bloom season also makes it a good plant to attract pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds throughout the growing season. The rich, lance-shaped leaves are an elegant complement to the striking flowers. Shape and Life Cycle It's upright, clustering habit makes it a 3-5 foot tall plant that adds vertical interest to flower beds or alongside streams. It is a perennial that survives many years, coming back every year thicker and fuller with good care. TN Nursery has Blue Vervain available in its infancy and ready to establish itself quickly in your landscape. Long-lasting, environmentally friendly, and easy to maintain, this wildflower makes an excellent addition to any garden, providing beauty and habitat for pollinators.    

Dandelion Plant

Dandelion Plant - Taraxacum Dandelion perennials have bright yellow, disk-like flowers atop slender, green stems with jagged-edged leaves that form a rosette at the base. While it is often considered a weed due to its rapid growth and ability to spread, it possesses several characteristics that can benefit landscaping. This perennial reaches up to 12 inches and has a rosette of leaves around a deep taproot. The leaves are sleek and feature acute indentations without any visible hairs. They have lance-, rectangular-, or spatula-shaped foliage and flower heads covered with ray petals. Their blooms, which can grow up to two inches long, are a single shade of yellow and sit on a sturdy, hollow stem. Although they bloom from April through September, they're most noticeable in May and June. Well-established ones sometimes bloom twice, once in the spring and once in the fall.  Improve Soil Quality With The Dandelion Plant They have roots that spread wide, loosening hard-packed soil and increasing aeration, making it healthier. Their roots extract calcium and potassium from the earth, making these vital nutrients available to nearby flowers. Because their roots also hold the soil together, these flowers help prevent erosion. The dead foliage adds organic matter to the soil and provides essential nutrients for grass to grow strong and green. Their wind-aided seed distribution and cross-pollination capabilities are useful for fertilizing grass. About nine to 15 days after the yellow flowers appear, they reveal a white puffball, a fuzzy pappus. The wind carries bits of the fuzzy pappus containing seeds as part of the flowers' reproduction process. Hummingbirds, mainly, like these fuzzy seeds and use them to build nests. Pollinators Rely On The Dandelion Plant In early spring, many pollinators rely on them for their nectar. While some can yield as many as 400 seeds, the typical yield is 180. Pollinators like ladybugs, honeybees, and moths play a crucial role in pest control by eating, weakening, and killing garden pests. They are generally hardy and, hence, require minimal to no fertilization. However, if necessary, you can use organic fertilizer and a balanced fertilizer to boost the blooms.  They are generally low-maintenance types. Water them during dry periods to promote its growth.  Other ones benefit from the dandelion's deep taproots, which help aerate the soil. Put them in the home garden with tomatoes and spinach. Dandelions spread quickly; therefore, they should avoid interplanting with other crops that compete for space.  Where do they grow best? These are adaptable to a variety of conditions. They can grow in sandy and clay soils and also adapt well in full or partial shade. Dandelions can be grown in containers. Use a grow light or proper sun exposure. Ensure the containers have well-draining soils.