Gardening With Perennials- Getting Started, Choosing Plants, Creating Gardens With Perennials

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"Gardening With Perennials- Getting Started, Choosing Plants, Creating Gardens With Perennials"

Gardening with Perennials

 


Gardening with Perennials
Getting Started

Answers to some common questions about perennials, plus 5 steps to success.

 

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Whether you're a new gardener planning your first perennial bed, or an experienced gardener hoping to improve your existing plantings, we can help make your garden a success. First, let’s dispel a common myth: You don’t need to be an expert gardener to grow perennials. Many types of perennials are easy to grow and provide years of pleasure with minimal upkeep. 

Let's begin by answering a few common questions about perennials.

What does the term perennial mean?
Plants are classified as either annual, biennial, or perennial. Annual plants live for only one growing season, during which they produce seeds and then die. Familiar annual plants include impatiens, zinnias, and sunflowers. Biennial plants, such as some types of foxglove, live for two growing seasons before setting seed and dying. The term perennial is reserved for plants that live for more than two years; examples include daylilies, hosta, and peonies.

Technically speaking, trees and shrubs are perennial plants--they live for more than two years. But in common usage the term perennial refers to herbaceous perennials: non-woody plants that die back to the ground each fall, then regrow in spring.

Why grow perennials instead of annuals like petunias or marigolds?
If you grow lots of annual flowers, you are familiar with the chores necessary to maintain the plantings: You purchase flower seedlings (or start your own), plant them in spring, and nurture them throughout the growing season. Then, when the season's over and the plants die, you pull them out. Next spring, the cycle begins anew.

Perennial plants remain in the ground year after year. Once established, most perennials need minimal upkeep in the form of watering and fertilizing, since their roots are more far-ranging than those of annual plants. Many perennials spread readily, filling out garden spaces and providing more and more color each year.

Will my perennials flower all summer, like my annuals?
Most perennial plants have a distinct bloom period, lasting anywhere from a week to a month or more. Plant descriptions usually include an approximate bloom time, such as "early summer" or "autumn." A few will describe certain plants as continuous bloomers, but even these usually have a period of peak bloom.

At first, this may seem like a drawback, since each plant won't flower all summer. However, properly planned, a perennial garden will have flowers all season long--they just won't be the same flowers all the time. Perennial gardens change with the seasons. You can enjoy delicate columbines in the spring, flamboyant peonies in early summer, stately delphiniums in midsummer, and cheerful black-eyed Susans in late summer right into autumn--all in the same flower bed. One of the greatest joys of perennial gardening is watching the plantings change with the seasons.

Five Steps to Success

1. Choose the right site. If you are creating a new bed, try to choose a site that gets partial to full sun. Although there are perennials that will withstand deep shade, you'll have a much larger selection of plants to choose from if the site receives some sun.

2. Choose the right plants. Evaluate your site, noting sun exposure and soil type, and choose plants based on these assessments. Make sure the plants you want are adapted to your growing region--check the USDA Zone rating.

3. Prepare the soil. Since your perennials will be occupying the same space for years, it's important to prepare the soil. Most perennials like a moderately rich, loose, loamy soil, with plenty of organic matter.

4. Plant properly. Follow the planting instructions that come with your new plants. Water plants well after planting.

5. Provide some extra TLC the first season. It's generally a good idea to mulch beds after planting with a thick layer of organic mulch. However, don't pile mulch right up agains plants--keep it a few inches from the base of the plants. Be diligent about watering the new plantings, if nature doesn't provide. A deep watering once a week is better than a daily sprinkle.

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Published by the National Gardening Association www.garden.org, www.kidsgardening.com


Five Hardy, Easy-Care Perennials


Monarda
Bee balm is a sun-loving, spreading perennial that comes in red, pink, or white flowers that butterflies love.


Hosta
Hosta are the ideal shade perennials. The leaves can be green, yellow or variegated and many varieties produce colorful flower spikes.


Daylily
This sun-loving perennial is tough as nails. It can tolerate a wide variety of growing conditions.


Phlox
This sun-loving, late summer bloomer produces flowers until frost. Look for powdery mildew-resistant varieties.


Coreopsis
Coreopsis is a sun-loving perennial that will spread and flower for weeks in summer.

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Gardening with Perennials

 

Gardening with Perennials
Choosing Plants

Knowing a plant's hardiness rating and light needs will help you select the right plant for the right location. Then you can select a range of plants for a continuous bloom through the summer.

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Here are some ideas to keep in mind when you're planning your gardens and choosing plants.

Hardiness Ratings
You have probably seen zone ratings in plant descriptions. What do these mean, and how can they help you plan?

To help gardeners choose plants, various systems for rating hardiness have been developed. A plant is considered hardy in a region if it can grow and thrive there without requiring special protective measures such as insulating with straw mulch.

The USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides the country into regions based on the average minimum winter temperature. Always check the hardiness rating of a plant you are considering, and compare it to the zone you're in.  If you live in USDA Zone 5 (minimum winter temperature -20 F), choose plants that are rated to Zone 5 or lower.  If you choose plants rated to Zone 6 (-10 F) or higher, you may lose plants to freezing injury.

Hardiness ratings indicate a plant's ability to withstand cold winter temperatures.

You may be able to grow plants rated to one zone warmer than yours if you live in a particularly warm spot, such as near a large body of water, or if you place the plants in a sheltered spot where they're protected from strong winds. However, if you are just starting out with perennials, why take the chance? Choose plants that are reliably hardy.

Sun or Shade
After hardiness, sunlight is your most important consideration. Choose plants that are adapted to the light levels in your garden. Don't plant sun lovers under dense trees, and don't plant shade lovers where they'll be exposed to blazing mid-day sun. Plant descriptions give the light preferences for plants, so take these to heart. You may be able to grow a sun lover in partial shade, but you may get fewer flowers or weaker growth. Place it in a spot where it can really shine!

Choose plants adapted to the light levels in your garden.

Planning for Continuous Bloom
Most perennial plants have a distinct bloom period, lasting anywhere from a week to a month or more. Plant descriptions usually include an approximate bloom time, such as "early summer" or "autumn." A few will describe certain plants as continuous bloomers, but even these usually have a period of peak bloom. When planning your garden, consider bloom times carefully. If you mistakenly choose all early summer bloomers, you may be disappointed when there's only foliage in your garden from midsummer on.

Perennial plants take some time to get established. You may get a few flowers in the first season, depending on the size of the plant you've purchased, but you'll need to wait a season or two for the real show to begin. Plan to add some annual flowers to your new perennial beds to carry you through the first growing season.


Geraniums contrast nicely with a perennial salvia.

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Published by the National Gardening Association www.garden.org, www.kidsgardening.com


These reliable perennials adapt to a wide range of conditions.


 Hollyhocks
These prized cottage garden plants can grow up to 8 feet tall. They are hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 9.


Scabiosa
Long bloom season and beautiful color made this plant a winner. Hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9.



Salvia
Sun-loving salvias come in a range of colors; most are hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 9.



Echinacea
Purple coneflowers have daisy-like rose-pink blooms measuring up to 7 inches across.



Astilbe
Feathery blossoms brighten up moist, shady spots in late spring and early summer. Flower spikes make lovely cut flowers.

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Perennial Profiles: Daylilies



Perennial Profile
Daylilies

They're hardy, adapt well to various conditions, have beautiful flowers, and are easy to grow. What more could you ask for in a perennial?

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Gardeners can't get enough of daylilies, and it's easy to understand why. Other flowers may be as beautiful, but no other plants are as rugged, widely adapted, or versatile. Daylilies are gorgeous, and they are survivors--perfect plants for both the connoisseur and the weekend warrior.

The Plant
Originally from Asia, daylilies have adapted to the challenging and varied climates of the United States with all the vigor of its best native plants. They grow in all U.S. regions, but thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9. Daylilies have arching, straplike foliage. Flowers are borne on tall stems, called scapes, that rise above the foliage. They are available in a range of sizes; some varieties grow just 12 inches tall; others reach 3 feet. (Note that the height given in plant descriptions usually refers to the height of the flowers; the foliage may be significantly shorter.)

The Flowers
True to its name, each daylily flower remains open for only one day, but each flowering scape contains numerous buds. The color range of daylilies has expanded to include everything but blue and pure white. Many blossoms are bi- or tri-colored, and some have striking "eyes"--zones of different colors surrounding the throat. Single daylilies have six petals, while double varieties have a second set of petals, often ruffled. In the Far East, daylily flowers are used in recipes and can be eaten raw or cooked. They are often found as a dried food in stores.


How to Use Daylilies
Daylilies are stalwarts of the perennial border, but they shine in other spots, too. Vigorous daylilies grow thickly enough to choke out most weeds, making them a low maintenance ground cover. They excel at holding the soil on steep slopes and other erosion-prone spots. Plant them on banks and roadsides or along waterways. Use dwarf daylilies in rock gardens, in containers, or as edging for flower beds. When planting several daylily varieties, arrange them in drifts of a single variety for a natural look.

Planting and Care
Daylilies grow best in full sun, ideally 6 hours or more daily. However, in hot and dry climates, they benefit from some afternoon shade, as well as irrigation during bloom. Also, many of the deep reds and the paler shades hold their colors better in partial shade. In any zone, daylilies will perform reasonably well with half a day's shade--they just won't bloom as vigorously.

Daylilies grow well in a wide range of soils. You can plant them successfully almost any time the ground can be worked. To plant bareroot daylilies, work the soil to a depth of 12 inches. Dig a hole, then make a mound of soil in the center. Set the plant on the mound with the crown at the soil surface or no more than an inch below. Firm the soil around the roots, and water well. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart.

The ideal time to transplant or divide your planting is in spring as the shoots begin to emerge, or immediately after bloom. When replanting, set the plants at the same height they grew at previously or slightly higher to allow for settling. Firm the soil, then water. Some cultivars can grow for 20 years without requiring division, but others may need division every second or third season. You'll know it's time to divide when flower production beings to decline.

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Published by the National Gardening Association www.garden.org, www.kidsgardening.com


There are hundreds of varieties of daylilies available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

There are dwarf varieties, as well as those whose flower stalks reach 6 feet in height.



 

Some have solid-color flowers...


... while others have a prominent "eye" in the center.

 

Repeat bloomers, such as 'Stella d'Oro' are very popular.


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Gardening with Perennials


Gardening with Perennials
Gardens with Style

Whether you want to create a formal flower garden for special events or a causal garden for strolling, there are many perennial flowers that will fit the bill.


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Choosing a garden style is a little like getting dressed. You might choose a "tie and jacket" look for your garden, using formal, symmetrical plantings, sheared hedges, and rows of flowering plants. Or you might be more of a "blue jeans" gardener, opting for an informal layout with rambling plantings. Or maybe you are somewhere in between.

Formal or Casual?
Just like your closet, which may contain formal wear and sweatshirts, and everything in between, you may choose a blend of styles for your gardens. For example, you might like a more formal look for the foundation plantings around your house, where shearing keeps hedges and shrubs inbounds, well-behaved perennials are carefully mulched, and annuals are planted in a symmetrical pattern.

Well-behaved perennials--those that won't flop over or sprawl--
work well in formal gardens.

Your island beds--those surrounded by a sea of lawn--might be a little less formal and consist of shrubs and perennials allowed to grow more naturally, with perhaps some annuals tucked into the spaces to add season-long color. Edging and mulching keep the bed looking tidy.

Perennials that multiply and spread, but are easily kept inbounds,
are good choices for island beds.

Finally, the gardens on the borders of your property might be on the wild side. Here, rambling shrubs, self-sowing wildflowers, and spreading ground covers might predominate. You may not bother with mulching or adding annuals, since this type of garden has a natural beauty all its own.

Rambling shrubs, self-sowing wildflowers, and spreading ground covers work well in property borders.

Generally speaking, the more formal the garden, the more regular maintenance it requires. (Note, however, that all perennial gardens will require some maintenance.)

Scale
Consider the size of your perennial bed in relation to its surroundings. For example, a tiny island bed in the middle of a huge lawn may look a little lonely and lost. If you are new to gardening, small plantings near the house are often a good place to begin. Design the beds so that you will be able to enlarge them in subsequent years, rather than overdoing it the first year.

Also consider the size of  the plants in relation to the size of the bed. Overly large plants in a small bed can look awkward and out of proportion. On the other hand, a few well-chosen and well-placed large plants can liven up a bed. Similarly, small-leaved, tiny-flowered perennials can get lost in a huge bed. But these, too, have their place and can be used to unify a diverse planting.


Japanese Silver Grass can grow
to 7 feet tall.

Some varieties of ajuga grow just 6 to 8 inches tall.

Other Considerations
Shape. Generally, straight lines in a garden give it a more formal feel. You may have walked through formal gardens where each square or triangular bed contained a different herb, for example. If you want a formal garden, you might want to get out the tape measure and square the corners, or use a string and two stakes to create rows. Semicircular gardens can also appear quite formal, and the more symmetrical the plantings, the more formal the appearance.

Straight lines, geometrical patterns, and symmetry create a formal appearance.

One of the risks of a formal design is that if one plant in a row dies, or one plant in a symmetrical design falters, the whole design is thrown off. In an informal planting, the loss of a plant or two is usually less noticeable.

For a more informal look, avoid straight lines. Instead, create an outline using gentle curves. Following the contours of the land will help give it a natural feel. Try using a garden hose, or sprinkle limestone, to outline the shape of a new bed. Even if you are creating a new island bed in a flat lawn, where there are no slopes to define the area, you can create an informal, curved outline. If you are hesitant to dig up an irregular, amoeba-shaped hole in your lawn, start with a crescent- or kidney-shaped bed.

Vantage Point. Think about where you’ll be spending your time observing your garden. Will you have a bench, or even a breakfast table, in its midst? Will your hammock be next to the garden? Or will you be enjoying your garden primarily from a distance?

We mentioned earlier that bright colors are often best for gardens that will be viewed from afar. Blues, violets, and pastel colors often get lost at a distance, especially in bright sunshine. Save these colors for beds you’ll enjoy from a closer vantage point.

Bold textures also hold up better for distant viewing. Plants with large flowers (or lots of small flowers) and heavy foliage will draw attention, while dainty plants with tiny flowers and delicate foliage may get overlooked. Save these for places where they’ll get the attention they deserve.

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Published by the National Gardening Association www.garden.org, www.kidsgardening.com
Gardening with Perennials

 


Gardening with Perennials
Designing with Color

You can mix and match different colored flowers, from pastels to bright red, to create the mood and effect that best suits your garden.


 

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The great thing about flowers is that you really can’t go wrong with them. Even if a perennial bed doesn’t turn out exactly like what you envisioned, chances are it’s going to be attractive. After all, have you ever encountered an ugly flower? And, unlike the wallpaper or paint color that looked great in the store but now grates on your nerves, perennial plants can be moved and rearranged (and even given away) to suit your tastes. It’s easier, and more fun, than re-wallpapering!


color wheel

You can find nearly every color of the spectrum in flowering perennials. Most people are drawn to certain colors, so if there is a color scheme you’ve admired--whether it is in a favorite sweater, upholstery, or garden--keep this in mind when choosing plants. Let’s take a look at some popular perennial plants, and see how different color combinations can set different moods.
Pastels
Soft pink, powder blue, lavender, and peach--these gentle colors set a mood of tranquility. They are the familiar colors of cottage gardens--informal gardens that contain a variety of old-fashioned flowers. Pastel colors look best when viewed from relatively close up, and they can looked washed out in the harsh mid-day sun.

Brights
Racy reds, vibrant oranges, magenta, and sunny yellow--these colors invigorate and energize a garden. Bright colors hold up well to brilliant sunshine, and attract the eye even from a distance.


Complementary Colors
Colors that are opposite on the color wheel are described as complementary. High in contrast, complementary colors add creative energy and vitality to a garden. Yellow and violet are complementary colors; as are orange and blue, and green and red.


Harmonious Colors
These are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel; examples include blue and violet, orange and red, and orange and yellow. These color combinations tend to be gentler on the eye than complementary colors. A harmonious color scheme unifies a garden, while allowing enough range of color that it doesn’t become monotonous.

If you are concerned about your ability to choose colors, a harmonious color scheme might be a good starting point for you. Unlike complementary colors, which, if overdone, can seem jarring and can give a riotous feel to a garden, harmonious colors are a pretty safe bet. As you gain confidence in your design eye, you can always add splashes of a complementary color here and there to liven things up.

Monochromatic Color Scheme
You may have seen gardens composed of all white flowers, and indeed some of the world’s most famous gardens use a monochromatic color scheme. Instead of relying on different colored flowers, the gardener creates interest by mixing flowers of different sizes and shapes, and choosing foliage with interesting textures and colors. Perhaps you are partial to a single color such as yellow. You can create varying moods depending on whether you choose soft pale yellows, bright sunny yellows, or deep golden yellows. Or you might use a mix of shades.

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Published by the National Gardening Association www.garden.org, www.kidsgardening.com

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