Perennial Uses in Fine Gardens
Gardeners often mix and match different types of flowers to cultivate the perfect outdoor landscape, including various annuals and perennials, states Dennis Sons of Tn Nursery, a leading mail order nursery grower of this type of plant.
Annuals like marigolds and petunias can add to the color and vibrancy of your garden, but mixing in perennials with your other plants can also benefit its overall health.
What is the difference between annuals and perennials?
Annual plants only live for one season. They need to be replanted every year, but they are usually brighter, and they bloom for a more extended period than perennials. Conversely, perennials regrow in the spring and can live for three planting seasons or longer, depending on soil quality and care.
Since perennial blooms tend to die off sooner than annuals, you’ve probably planted a mix of both to mimic native wildflowers and create a beautiful garden.
How perennials benefit your garden
Even if you prefer the bold colors and vibrancy of annuals, mixing them with continuously blooming plants in your garden can improve its overall health. There are many benefits perennials provide, including:
- Improved soil quality
- Better health of other plants
- Easier maintenance
- Cost savings
Improved soil quality
Even when they are not flowering, perennial plants keep roots in your garden. This helps improve soil quality by providing food for other organisms that live in the soil. Living and dead roots alike feed microbes and other organisms, allowing your soil to remain healthy.
Hardier plants protect your soil from the sun during the winter. In colder climates, you can protect your soil over the winter with a layer of mulch.
Another way to improve your soil with these plants is to prune them. Make sure your chosen plant can withstand being cut back consistently, and then use the cuttings to add nutrients to your soil.
Better health of other plants
Many perennial plant species have more extended, more robust root systems than their annual counterparts. These roots bring essential nutrients and water to the top of your soil, making them more accessible to plants with shallower roots.
Some varieties, including lily of the valley, coral bells, and primrose, for example, can survive colder conditions in the winter, protecting your soil and neighboring plants from the sun.
Easier maintenance
Since perennials don’t need to be planted every year, they are usually easier to maintain than annuals. Most varieties last for at least two years, meaning that you can save time in the spring with fewer plantings. You might need to trim them back to keep them from taking over the garden.
Long-lasting varieties can live for years, saving you even more planting time. Choose a species that thrives in your climate zone and enjoy it for the long haul.
Cost savings
Another advantage of perennials is the cost savings. You won’t have to buy seeds and smaller plants every year to fill out your garden. These plants can be divided and replanted elsewhere, saving you time and a trip to the nursery.
If you’re interested in growing your produce, plant a perennial vegetable garden in a different part of your yard. Edible perennials include chives, rhubarb, asparagus, different varieties of artichoke, and kale. Plant them once and harvest them for several years and use the freshest ingredients in your favorite dishes.
Having a variety of plants in your garden will improve its overall health and quality. Including perennials can improve soil quality, make other plants in your garden healthier, and even save you money on food. If you’re ready to add some quality perennials to your garden, contact us, and we can help you choose plants that will thrive in your garden.
