"Nature writes. Gardeners edit." - Robert Swain -



These tips for perennial gardening have been gathered
from various sources and my own experience.

PLANT MARKERS.....Inexpensive aluminum flashing is easily cut with scissors and can be embossed with a pen point or nail. Punch a hole with a nail and string with wire to the plant or stake. Round off the corners so you don't get cut on the sharp points. If you want them to look more professional, invest in a set of metal alphabet punches or an electric engraver.

CHICKEN WIRE SUPPORTS.....Place a section of chicken wire on the ground over emerging shoots of plants such as peonies. As the shoots grow, move the wire up the stems. It will disappear into the foliage and support the heavy blooms. Fold back any sharp ends so you don't get scratched.

TOMATO CAGES.....These cheap wire supports are useful for tall, bushy perennials such as delphiniums and disappear as the plant grows. For larger, late season support, cut open on one side and spread around the front of the plant.

NATURAL STAKES.....Use dead or pruned tree branches as stakes. Sharpen the end and push into the ground.

NATURAL TRELLIS.....Make a natural trellis from tree branches. Drill small holes at the junctions and tie with fine wire. Get ideas for the shape from magazines and catalogs. Paint with deck water seal to withstand the elements. If it is to be placed directly into the ground, I recommend using treated lumber (2x2") for the main supports. It will eventually weather to a natural color. If you have access to wild grape vines, you can weave them in for a lacy look.

GOT DISCS?.....Don't throw away those Internet access CD's that come in the mail or damaged CD's. String some together with loops of fishing line and hang as a colorful wind spinner. The shiny flashing might deter deer and other garden marauders. Hang some in front of a window near a bird feeder to help prevent the birds from crashing into it. They can also be used as reflectors in the driveway, or broken into pieces for mosiac crafts.

GOT MOLES?.....Try sticking pinwheels and other garden spinners around. The vibrations may run them off.

MOTH BALLS.....Pretty good critter repellent. Place under decks, outbuildings, in flower pots and around garden. Toss some inside a shed or mailbox to deter wasps.

ROSE FOOD.....It's not just for roses anymore. Feed to perennial vines such as clematis, and they will reward you with strong growth and more blooms.

BUY ONE, GET MORE.....Many perennials are made up of plantlets...separate little plants that make one big one. When buying, look for plants with the most plantlets, and you can pull them apart before planting to get more for your money. Hostas, daylilies, lirope, and most groundcovers can be handled this way. Matting groundcovers such as creeping thyme or creeping phlox can be cut into plugs to create more plants. Most will grow quickly and become the large plants you bought by the following season.

MAKE YOUR OWN CULTIVARS.....See How To Hybridize for my tutorial on Daylilies and Iris.

MY NO-MOW SOLUTIONS.....I have a large yard and don't want to spend all my time mowing and trimming the grass. I don't even own a grass trimmer. I map out a new garden with the mower to be able to move around it easily. Sharp corners and small areas are planted with perennials to eliminate trimming. Yarrow, creeping thyme, chives, to name a few, make lovely soft and fragrant lawns that don't grow as quickly as grass. Plant these in areas that need to be trimmed and you won't have to do it as often, if at all. Allow them to bloom for reseeding and because they're pretty. Naturalize ditches and other hard to mow areas with excess perennials and let them go wild. While some may object to the use of chemicals, I find an herbacide like Round-Up to be valuable in eliminating trimming around structures like sheds. A few inches width of grass kill makes mowing around things a breeze.

MY PICKS FOR THE BEST PERENNIALS
See the Complete List of Species & Cultivars in the Gardens.

DAYLILY.....My favorite. Excellent growth habit, looks great all season, infinite variety of flowers, many fragrant. Very hardy, most light and soil conditions. Propagate by division or seeds. See my Daylilies.

HOSTA.....Beautiful foliage, neat low growth, pretty flowers. Very hardy, best in shade but some can take full sun. Propagate by division.

COLUMBINE.....Lovely flowers and foliage, long bloom time. Hardy, most soil and light conditions. Propagate by division or seed.

ORNAMENTAL GRASS.....Graceful, majestic plants can serve as shrubs. Attractive plumes and leaf textures add fall and winter interest. Hardy, best in full sun, but some species can take shade. Propagate by division.

LANDSCAPE OR MINIATURE ROSES.....Neat, low, spreading growth habit, covered in small pretty flowers most of the season. May need to be treated for pests, but most are resistant. Hardy, best in sun but can take some shade. Propagate by stem cuttings.

CORAL BELLS.....Low growing, attractive foliage, and airy flower sprays relished by hummingbirds. Very hardy, sun to shade. Propagate by division.

PHLOX.....Fragrant, many choices for colors, attractive to butterflies. Creeping Phlox makes a colorful spring groundcover. Tall Garden Phlox has a long summer bloom time. Hardy, sun to partial shade. Propagate by division or seed.

LIRIOPE.....Low growing, attractive grass-like foliage, also known as Lilyturf. Available as green or varigated. Purple spikes in late summer/fall. Use as groundcover or border edge. Hardy, sun to shade. Propagate by division.

WOOLEY THYME & CREEPING THYME.....Tiny, greyish aromatic leaves and pink/purple flowers. Very low, fast, matting groundcover, perfect in between stepping stones. Hardy, full sun is best. Propagate by digging plugs out of existing mats.

STONECROP SEDUM.....Creeping succulent with variable leaf and flower colors. Very low, fast, matting groundcover, great under large perennials, shrubs, in rock gardens or containers. Hardy, drought resistant, full sun is best. Propagate by sticking pieces in the ground.

CREEPING JENNY.....Small,bright yellow-green leaves on running stems quickly form flat mats of groundcover, with yellow buttercup flowers in early summer. Great under shrubs and large perennials, in rock gardens and containers. Wild (Moneywort) variety is green. Hardy, best in shade, but does well in sun. Propagate by digging plugs. Beware, it's invasive and can take over small plants.

CLEMATIS.....Elegant vine for most any vertical support. Many choices for colors and bloom times. Hardy, sun to partial shade. Propagate by stem cuttings.

Updated on 10/23/05



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