Growing Beautiful Perennial Plants
If you wish to create a garden that looks stunning year after year, our comprehensive guide is perfect for you! From selecting the right plants for your space to caring for them through every season, we've got you covered.
This guide will help you create a garden that's not only beautiful but also sustainable and low maintenance. you'll find everything you need to know in our Gardener's Guide to Growing Beautiful Perennial Plants.
Perennial flowers, also known as non-woody plants, that last up to three years provide a vivid shade for any landscape. Certain perennials can live a cycle that lasts between three and four years, while others end it after several years.
Like other flowers, perennials die during winter and regrow once in spring. Perennials differ from annuals because gardeners don't have to plant them again yearly. Furthermore, perennials require only a little fertilizer. Many gardeners plant perennials due to their unique shape and attractive foliage. If they are planted correctly, they can produce stunning landscapes when mixed with fences, rocks, borders, and other elements. They also look great when paired with different flowers.
Gardeners new to the field often inquire about the distinction between perennials and annuals. It's an easy distinction, yet it needs to be more understood. The annual plants are characterized by a life cycle of only a single growing season. They bloom from spring to frost throughout the year and are spectacular and colorful. They require replacement every year. Perennial plants are not the same.
They can live up to three years (extremely robust perennials can live for as long as twenty decades!). They bloom for a shorter time than the annuals, so they are typically planted with different perennials. They bloom various times during the season to create a continuous show of color in the landscape year.
WHEN TO PLANT PERENNIALS
The ideal time to plant perennial flowers is between autumn and spring. Planting in these seasons ensures that your plants will grow robust and healthy. In spring, you will have more moisture in the soil, lots of rain, and long days, with more sun.
Planting your plants in the fall provides benefits. Your perennials will spend the whole winter developing solid roots, enabling them to blossom more next spring.
WAYS TO PLANT PERENNIALS
Planting perennial plants and flowers in your backyard can be done in three ways: container-grown perennials, naked-root perennials, or seeds.
Bare root perennials are gathered from the areas of growth when their roots have gone dormant, then packed and kept at a cool temperature until they are delivered to the garden center. They're best planted in spring, following the last frost, and when temperatures range from 45degF to 60degF.
If you can, buy bare-root plants as soon as possible, so they don't become dry. When you plant a perennial with bare roots, dig an area twice as wide and deep as the ball of the root. In the center of the hole, create a mound. Place the root ball in the stack and extend the roots. Make sure to water your plant well after you have planted it.
Planting perennials using seeds is the most affordable alternative but can be the most challenging. If you plant your seeds outside following your last frost, it'll be later in the season before you see the first signs of growing. It is best to consider beginning your perennials indoors in pots through the winter months and transplanting them to your outdoor landscape once the temperatures increase.
Container-grown perennials are the plants and flowers you will likely find at the local garden center and are pre-planted in plastic containers or trays. They're the most convenient alternative for planting perennial flowers. You need to dig a hole more profound than the container in width and double the size. Take the plant from its container, place it into the hole, and then cover it with soil. Make sure you water it after the plant has been planted.
Select Your Perennial Garden Plants
Select flowers with a good reputation for being durable and reliable. Bird's Foot Violet, Hepatica, Siberian Iris, Ajuga Reptans, and the brown eyed Susans are stunning perennial flowers you can be sure of. Pick an assortment of plants that are short and tall. Make your garden bed tall by planting tall ones in the back and short ones along the sides.
Decide Where to Plant
Many people set their perennial gardens in the background, such as fences or garden walls. Choose a place with at least 6 hours of sunshine for your plants that love the sun. If your area is more shaded, it is best to plant shade-loving plants such as hostas or bleeding hearts.
Get Your Soil Ready
A variety of perennial plants require well-drained soil. If your soil is wet, you should plant cardinals and other plants that like dampness. Infuse your soil with organic substances.
Get Planting
Perennials can be tough plants. They care less about when they are planted or moved. You can plant perennials any time after the last winter frost.
When you plant or transplant the plants, dig a hole twice as wide but no more than the container's depth and then fill it with dirt. Help with watering by grouping plants that have similar requirements for water.
Perennial bulbs are best planted according to when they flower. If you plan to plant springtime varieties, be sure to plant the bulbs in the ground in the early autumn. If you have perennial bulbs that flower in summer, you should plant them in the early spring after all chances of frost are gone. Always consult the plant tag for the proper spacing and depth of planting.
Hepatica Nobilis
The Hepatica plant is distinctive in its appearance with its round three-lobed leaves, which are frequently flecked with green or reddish-purple. It is a source of pink to white, blue, violet, and white flowers with up to 12 petals and many stamens.
The Hepatica plant is used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases, including jaundice, liver diseases, coughs, and colds. However, its healing properties need to be verified scientifically, and it is recommended to consult a medical professional to use it.
Bird's Foot Violet
The Bird's Foot Violet perennials are a stunning garden feature. With their distinctive foliage, these sturdy plants will grab attention and become the focal point of your backyard. The vibrant purple flowers will persist throughout the year and are an excellent addition to any garden. The bird's foot violets keep their health and beauty for many years with minimal maintenance.
Ajuga Reptans
Ajuga reptans is an ideal groundcover plant to fill a space in your garden quickly. It spreads quickly and creates a dense green carpet adorned with vibrant, lush purple flowers blooming in spring.
It's heat-resistant, heat-tolerant, cold-tolerant, drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and disease-resistant. Its callous nature makes it a great choice in many difficult conditions.
Siberian Iris
The Iris Cristata is a stunning perennial with a low growth rate that provides an attractive shade of deep jewel-toned purple for your backyard.
Despite its diminutive size, even though it's small, the dwarf iris is a challenging and durable North American species. Many hikers see this flower blooming on shady slopes, rocky edges, or near stunning streams.
It only cares about the texture of soil and its quality and will thrive with little effort. It is essential to water it by hand only during prolonged dry spells. You should also provide twice-annual fertilizer and keep it free of weeds.
