Perennials, repeat pleasures

Perennials are one of my favorite types of plants to have in my garden.

Perennials are flowering plants that go dormant in the winter and return each spring. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of different types of perennials. Perennials have as many different blooming seasons, colors, textures and sizes as there are types. This is what makes perennials so fabulous.

By planting different types of perennials in your gardens you can have color from the first of spring until a hard frost in the fall. If you are lucky enough to live in Planting Zones 8-10 you get to have color all year long!

Some perennials are grown for their striking and beautiful foliage. Others for their flower. Some perennials will only bloom once per season, but the show is spectacular! Many perennials will bloom repeatedly throughout the growing season. Dead-heading the spent flowers will encourage more to bloom. Use a good, sharp pair of pruning shears or garden scissors to remove the spent foliage.

Adding compost or organic fertilizer twice per season (spring and fall) your perennials will be lush and beautiful. After a few seasons you will be able to spread them around in your own yard and share them with friends. Another added benefit of perennials, they multiply!

Planting perennials for the best show...plant them in groups. By planting a few (or more) in the same area you will end up with waves of color in your garden. This is striking. For a more informal look spread them out, so you have color here and there.

I even use perennials in my planters. They make an interesting and unusual look in pots and even hanging baskets. I only use annuals as an accent tucked here or there in my planters.
You will get many compliments on your planters, because they are not the same old Impatiens or Petunias.

Using perennials will allow you to use your creativity and your imagination to create the garden of your dreams.