How To Make A Perennial Garden
Perennial plants are those that live and produce blooms for more than two years. Unlike annuals, which die after one season, perennial plants continue to provide colorful flowers year after year. A perennial garden is the easiest way for you to have continuously blooming plants in an area of your yard with a minimum amount of maintenance. You can choose from a wide variety of perennial flowering plants for your garden. The following are a few of the most popular choices:
Daylilies, botanical name Hemerocallis, are easy to grow, are available in various colors to suit your garden needs, are adaptable to many different soil conditions, and can withstand drought conditions. The prominent, pointed-tipped flowers grow on stalks that are surrounded by long, narrow leaves. They bloom from late spring to autumn, providing attractive colors for garden areas throughout summer.
Botanical name Aquilegia, columbine plants produce delicate bell-shaped blooms with spurs. They bloom from mid-spring to early summer and can be found in some colors. The foliage is a lacy and attractive addition to gardens. They prefer a full-sun exposure and well-drained, fertile soil. However, in hot, sunny areas of the country, they will do better in partial shade.
Hosta is among the most popular perennial for home gardens in northern climates. Unlike many plants, this perennial will grow in any shady area and re-appear year after year. This perennial comes in a wide range of sizes, colors, and leaf types. The complete, low-growing foliage produces small blooms on tall stalks, giving color and texture to any garden area. They require very little maintenance and are helpful for a variety of different garden applications.
Dicentra callicarpa, commonly called Dutchman's breeches, are known for their distinctively shaped bloom that looks a bit like an upside-down pair of pantaloons. The white flowers are tinged with yellow or pink. The foliage is gray-green and looks much like a fern; They grow in part or full shade and resist most diseases and insects.
Virginia Blue Bells
Mertensia Virginica, or Virginia Blue Bells, is a perennial plant that produced trumpet-shaped blue to violet-colored blooms on foliage that grows up to two feet tall. The leaves of the plant are rounded and complete. They require well-draining soil and don’t do well in areas of heavy rainfall. Sometimes called Virginia cowslips, they bloom in early spring.