Which garden plants come back every year?
Perennial flowers and plants are the cornerstone of many gardens, offering a recurring display of color and form year after year. Unlike annuals, which complete their life cycle in one growing season, perennials return each spring, growing in size and stature. Fall is an ideal time to plant perennials and bulbs because the cooler temperatures and increased rainfall create perfect conditions for root development. By planting in the fall, these plants have time to settle into the soil and establish strong root systems before winter sets in.Perennials, such as asters, catmint and Echinacea, should be planted during the cooler fall months. Tulip bulbs, grape hyacinths and daffodils planted in the fall fill the spring garden with flowers. Irises, hostas and peonies should be divided and transplanted once the temperatures start to decline in early fall.Perennials such as salvia, geum and dianthus flower right from May to October, but really start to take the spotlight late on in their season when little else is blooming. These hardworking perennials will bloom from May or June right through to the first frosts, often producing repeat flowerings throughout the season.October is one of the best times to plant perennials if the borders are looking a bit tired. With the soil still retaining summer warmth and a bit more moisture in the air, roots have the chance to bed in well before winter sets in,’ says Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres.
Can I leave my perennials in the ground over winter?
Perennials and shrubs that are in your zone or one colder can be overwintered in an unheated garage, buried in the ground, or transplanted. Perennials and shrubs in containers will need water through the winter but should not be kept wet. Perennials come back year after year, but annuals provide the most color. Annual flowers grow for one long season, often into the fall, then die with the onset of freezing weather. Perennials come back year after year, with some plants that live just a couple years and others that continue growing for decades.Once established, perennial plants return every year, according to their “own” season. If conditions are proper—including soil, climate, and pest-free environment—your perennial can live and may bloom anywhere from 3 to 10 years or more.They usually bloom for only one season each year (either spring, summer, or fall), but there are also reblooming and long-blooming perennials, such as fern-leaved bleeding heart (Dicentra ‘Luxuriant’). When grown in favorable conditions, perennials often live a long time, but don’t assume they will last forever.Hardy perennials – hardy plants tolerate low temperatures and can be planted outside all year long. Many of them are herbaceous and die back each autumn, such as cranesbill geraniums and phlox. Some are evergreen and/or shrubby, such as lungwort and lavender.
How many years do perennial plants live?
Perennial plants live more than two years and are grouped into two categories: herbaceous perennials and woody perennials. Herbaceous perennials have soft, nonwoody stems that generally die back to the ground each winter. New stems grow from the plant’s crown each spring. Perennials are not demanding plants, but trimming them after flowering finishes in autumn helps improve their appearance and flowering. However, you can leave some stems over winter to provide homes and food for wildlife, and then trim back in spring.