Using perennials in your garden

When it comes to flowers for the garden, annuals and perennials are the two largest families.  Plants designated as annuals are those that grow from seed, blossom, set seed and die within a single season.  Perennials, on the other hand, have the ability to return to life season after season.  That means that after the bed is established, you may not need to replant for a number of years.

The actual life span of each perennial will vary from variety to variety, but in order to be classed as a perennial a plant must be able to come back for at least two seasons.

Perennials are available in a seemingly endless amount of colors, sizes, shapes and textures, and there are perennials available to please just about any gardener.  In addition, the ability to plant the perennials only once and have them come back year after year makes them a favorite with all kinds of gardeners. 

In addition, perennials are suitable for virtually any location, and most varieties grow well in a variety of climates and soil types.  Some perennials, such as aster, phlox, geraniums and peonies, are valued mostly for their beautiful flowers, while other varieties of perennials are more highly prized for their lush foliage.

The longevity of different types of perennials varies, and some types of perennials can last for decades.  Each type of perennial will list the average lifespan of the plant, so it is important to check the longevity rating when buying perennials. 

If you are looking for a perennial that enjoys a legendary longevity, you may want to look into peonies.  Many plantings of peonies have been known to last from one generation to the next.

Many gardeners like to plant a combination of annuals, perennials and bulbs, and this can be a great way to provide a wonderful variety of color in the garden, while cutting back on the work the gardener must do.  Many gardeners like to use perennials in parts of the garden that are difficult to plant, or using perennials as landscape plants.  This can be a great strategy, and many people are finding that perennials are wonderful, beautiful plants.

Many gardeners like to accent their front yard, flagpole, mailbox or other small areas with plantings of perennials, and these plants are great for small spaces like those.  In addition, the wide variety of colors perennials come in mean they can be used to accent just about any type of home décor.

Perennials can even make a great addition to a vegetable garden, particularly to provide a colorful border or to edge the planting beds.  In addition, perennials can be used with shrubs and other larger plants in order to provide a beautiful splash of color and beauty in an otherwise plain landscape.