What is a Perennial? Selecting Perennial Flowers and Plants that are Best for Your Garden
Perennials are a diverse and vital garden part, offering beauty, utility, and sustainability. Choosing the right ones involves considering your garden’s specific conditions and requirements and personal aesthetic preferences. With proper care and selection, perennials can provide a rich and dynamic landscape that evolves and matures beautifully over time.
A perennial plant lives for more than two years, contrasting with annuals, which complete their lifecycle in a single year, and biennials, which take two years to complete theirs. Perennials are known for their longevity and ability to bloom year after year, making them a staple in many gardens.
Perennial and annual plants are two types of flowering plants distinguished mainly by their life cycles:
Salvia (Sage) and Roses
Herbaceous Perennials: These plants die back to the ground each winter and regrow from their rootstock in the spring. Examples include coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, sage, and cranesbill.
Woody Perennials: These include shrubs and trees, like roses, azaleas, and maple trees, which have woody stems that stay above ground year-round.
Evergreen Perennials: These plants retain their leaves throughout the year, providing continuous greenery. Examples are boxwood and some types of ferns.
Deciduous Perennials: They lose their foliage in winter and regrow it in spring, such as hydrangeas and some ornamental grasses.
Shade Perennials: Hosta and Solomon’s Seal
Consider Climate and Hardiness Zone: Select plants suited to your area’s climate and temperature. The USDA Hardiness Zone system can be a helpful guide.
Soil Type and Sunlight: Understand the soil type in your garden and the amount of sunlight it receives. Some plants thrive in full sun, while others prefer shade or partial shade.
Growth Patterns and Maintenance: Consider the plant’s mature size and growth habit. Some plants spread rapidly and may require regular pruning or dividing.
Bloom Time and Color: Plan for a succession of blooms through the seasons for a year-round colorful garden. These plants come in a wide range of colors and blooming seasons.
Water Requirements: Consider drought-tolerant varieties if you live in a water-scarce region.
Wildlife Attraction: Many perennials attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds, contributing to a healthy ecosystem in your garden. Opt for deer-resistant perennials or rabbit-resistant perennials if these animals are a problem in your area.
Personal Preference: Choose colors, sizes, and forms that appeal to your personal taste and complement the overall design of your garden.
Caring for perennials involves understanding their specific needs and lifecycles to ensure they thrive year after year. Here are key aspects to consider:
Planting and Soil: Choose a location based on the light requirements of your plants. Most prefer well-draining soil enriched with organic matter. Planting depth and spacing are crucial – follow the guidelines specific to each species.
Watering: Newly planted perennials require consistent moisture to establish roots. Once established, many are relatively drought-tolerant, but check the soil moisture regularly and water when necessary, especially during dry spells.
Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around your plants to retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and suppress weeds. Organic mulches, like wood chips or straw, also add nutrients to the soil as they decompose.
Fertilizing: Feed with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can promote weak growth and reduce flowering.
Pruning and Deadheading: Regular pruning encourages healthy growth and more blooms. Deadheading, or removing spent flowers, prevents the plant from putting energy into seed production and can stimulate a second bloom in some species.
Division: Many perennials benefit from being divided every few years. This process rejuvenates the plant, improves vigor, and controls its spread.
Winter Care: In colder climates, some plants may need extra protection during winter. Mulching and covering the plants can help them survive harsh temperatures.
Pest and Disease Management: Monitor for signs of pests and diseases. Healthy, well-cared-for plants are less prone to problems. Use organic or chemical controls if necessary, but always as a last resort.
Veronica, Salvia, Kniphophia, and Sedum
Mums can be both annual and perennial, depending on the variety and the climate they are grown in. In many regions, mums are grown as annuals due to their susceptibility to winter cold. However, there are hardy perennial varieties of mums that can survive winters and regrow each spring in the right conditions.
Dahlias are technically perennials, but they are often treated as annuals in climates where they cannot survive the winter. In regions with freezing temperatures, dahlia tubers need to be dug up in the fall and stored indoors during the winter to be replanted the following spring.
Lavender is a perennial herb. It thrives in warm, sunny climates and well-drained soil and can return for several years, offering fragrant foliage and flowers. The longevity of lavender as a perennial depends on the specific variety and the growing conditions.
Tulips are perennials; however, many gardeners treat them as annuals. This is because some tulip varieties tend to degenerate and not flower as vigorously after their first blooming season. For consistent blooms, many gardeners choose to plant new bulbs each year, although some species and varieties of tulips can perform well for multiple years, especially in well-suited climates and soils.
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
