Choosing perennial plants for your garden
March 18, 2010 by admin
Filed under Gardening Tips
Choosing perennial plants for your garden is one of the most important and enjoyable aspects of developing it. There are several factors to consider, and we’ll address them one at a time. The great thing about perennials is that they come in such a large variety of plants you’ll be sure to find a wonderful selection that will prosper in your garden with its individual characteristics.
The first consideration when choosing perennial plants is the growing zone in which you live. In the United States, the USDA Hardiness Zone Map will help gardeners decide which plants will thrive in their region without requiring protective insulation over the winter like a layer of straw. Other countries and Europe have similar charts. Here’s something to keep in mind, however. Since most gardening experts recommend that you cover your garden each winter in 3-5 inches of leaves, straw, or a compost mixture, you might be able to get away with choosing perennials with a lower hardiness rating – say one or two zones warmer at the most – than is recommended. Also, if you live in a particularly arid region, you might also want to look for drought-tolerant plants.
Secondly, with your garden designed mapped out on paper, draw in the areas of your garden that get full sun, partial sun, or mostly shade. Then choose perennial plants accordingly, since different varieties thrive in varying sun/shade conditions. Keep sun lovers out in the open and those that prefer shade underneath an obliging tree or in the shade of a climbing trellis. Too much or too little sunlight probably won’t kill plants, but it will prevent them from producing their best blossoms and growth.
Thirdly, make a list of the perennial plants the work in your Hardiness Zone and divide the list into full sun, partial sun, and full shade categories. Then, next to each plant, make a mark indicating what time of the season they bloom. Usually about 4 categories are recommended: May to early June, June to early July, July to early August, August to early September. Of course, if you live in the southern hemisphere, your chart will be different by six months! The purpose of doing this is to choose perennial plants that will deliver blooms in sequences that provide ongoing color for each section of your garden. If all your shade perennials are done by mid-summer, you’ll have to fill look at a drab section of your garden with only foliage for the rest of the season! A final trick is to balance when the perennials in each section will bloom with what color the blossoms will be, so you’ll have a blend of colors you enjoy, and nothing that clashes.
When you go to the local nursery or garden center to choose plants, take your plans with you, and a gardening book that offers lists of these categories. If one of the plants you want is not available you’ll be able to choose a substitute without making a separate trip. Before you purchase any perennial plant make sure it is in good health. Leaves should be firm and vigorous, not wilted, spotted or discolored. Look for signs of rot at the crown, where the stems protrude from the dirt. Examine the leaves, including the undersides, for pests. Don’t take home any plant that has signs of disease of pest infestation, so you won’t run the risk of spreading problems to your other garden plants.
Your perennial garden will always be a work in progress, as you try new things, move plants around, or remove those that simply don’t thrive in your garden. Enjoy the process. Read all you can on growing perennials, and talk to neighbors and friends about what works for them. Ask lots of questions of the specialists where you buy flowers. All you learn will translate into a garden you enjoy more and more with each passing year.
Related posts:
