What kind of plant will come back every year?
If all goes well, perennials will come back every year. Some are short-lived and will last 2-3 years, while others can last 5 years or longer. Many perennials follow the 3-year rule: they sleep in the first year, creep in the second, and leap in the third. Understanding this natural growth cycle helps manage expectations and ensures long-term gardening success.Understanding the 3-Year Rule of Perennials—where they sleep in the first year, creep in the second, and leap in the third—can help gardeners set realistic expectations and have lasting success.While not all perennials need time to look and do their best, this is a common enough phenomenon that there is an actual adage for it the first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap! But what does that really mean?Many perennials grow quickly, forming large clumps. If you don’t divide them every two to three years, these clumps can die out in the middle, leaving a bare hole.You can technically plant perennials in fall right up until your area’s first frost, but giving them at least 4 to 6 weeks beforehand helps roots settle and survive winter.