Perennial Plants

Perennial Plants return year after year and require only a modicum of weeding and pruning, thereby reducing the amount of care your garden requires. Edible perennials, such as asparagus, rhubarb, and sorrel provide excellent dishes for your household without creating an excessive amount of work.

When designing a garden area of your yard, a good place to start is with a tree or hedge as the anchor or structural foundation to your garden.

Plant grasses and perennials around the taller centerpiece plant to add texture, color and flow. In time, these plants will fill out as they grow and look splendid against the taller trees or shrubs in the background.

When removing and replanting perennials, it is important to replenish the soil as well. If you remove a large number of perennials, and then replant them without adding additional compost and soil, the bed will be lower, reducing drainage and air circulation. Furthermore, the compost will replace nutrients that has been used up by previous growing seasons.

You shouldn't underestimate Perennial Plants in making your gardening life easier. You'll save time by not having to plant and care for seedlings or starts. Different perennials will perform better in different climates, but sorrel greens and horseradish should work almost anywhere.

Slug-proof perennials...

Slugs and snails can decimate a plant in one night. They tend to enjoy perennials that have thin, smooth, tender leaves, especially those of young plants.

Certain Perennial Plants are unappetizing to slugs and snails, especially those with tough, hairy leaves or an unappetizing taste. Excellent varieties include heuchera, achillea, euphorbia, campanula, and helleborus.

Use groundcover perennials in sunny areas...

Groundcover perennials can be used as an alternative to grass where there is minimal foot traffic, or in an area where grass is difficult to maintain, such as on a slope.

They are also handy in between larger perennials, as they help to suppress weeds and keep the soil moist and cool. Good choices for groundcover perennials are creeping thyme, ajuga, various sedums, alyssum and armeria.

Divide up your perennials while they still look healthy. It's best to divide a perennial at the end of the growing season during which it hits its peak. As the plant starts to overgrow, the center of the plant will start to have dying stalks and weaker flowers.

Allowing perennials to grow too long may also lead to them overtaking neighboring plants. Depending upon climate, there are many options for growing perennial vegetables for a maximum yield.

Echinacea...

Echinacea is an amazing plant that resembles daisies with swept-back petals. They are hardy, drought resistant and long blooming, and are being cultivated in a ever widening array of colors. Echinacea plants have been used for centuries as a herbal medicine and, are under investigation by AIDS reseachers. It is thought to be beneficial as an anti-biotic for inflamation, fevers and infection.

Mixing annuals and biennials with perennials...

You can also brighten up your flower beds with annuals and biennials. Fast-growing annuals and biennials can brighten up a flower bed, and allow you to change the look from season to season and year to year.

They are very useful for filling in the gaps between perennials and shrubs in a sunny area. Noteworthy varieties include cosmos, petunia, rudbeckia,hollyhock, marigold and sunflower.