|
Geranium 'Johnson's Blue' |
![[Hosta sieboldiana Seedling with Hardy Geranium]](images/HostaGer.jpeg) |
One of the major keys to success with perennials (this is also true of house plants) is to use plants that fit the environment you have in your yard. In order to do this, you need to do a bit of research as to the particular needs of any given plant. If you have a shady yard which tends to be damp most of the year, you are doomed to fail if you use plants which need good drainage and sun, such as lavender, dianthus, etc. You will be provided with a few basic lists of which plants tend to like certain conditions. You may have several types of "micro-climate" in your yard which will allow you to have a greater palette of planting material from which to choose.
The following is a list of the cultural factors you will need to consider before choosing the proper site for a plant:
Exposure (Sun, Shade, Part Sun or Part Shade?)
Moisture (Wet, Dry, Average Garden Conditions?)
Soil (Sandy, Clay, Moisture Retentive or Well Drained, Acid or Sweet?)
Temperature...(How hardy is it? Will it survive the winter here? Will it die if conditions are too hot? This will vary somewhat depending on other factors such as micro-climates, humidity, etc. Don't be afraid to experiment a bit.)
When choosing plants for your yard, choose what YOU like. There is really no right or wrong way when it comes to color and foliage combinations although some tend to have universal appeal while others may be acquired tastes! The nice thing about most perennials is that if you or someone after you doesn't like them, they are easily moved. The reason I said most is that there are a few that can be quite invasive and will continue to sprout from any remnant left behind after moving. You should be aware of those tendencies in a plant before you put it in. Sometimes "invasive" plants are just what the doctor ordered for difficult sites. Also, what is invasive in one situation might not be a bit of a problem in another.
If you are just starting out, lay out the boundaries of your new bed with a garden hose or rope. Mark the edges with dolomite lime or just cut along your hose outline with an edging tool if you are removing sod. The remainder of the sod can be lifted with a shovel or spading fork and composted. Work lots of organic matter into the soil such as well rotted manure, leaves, compost, etc. and also a little slow release fertilizer such as bone meal (just sprinkle it over the surface and then dig it in.) There is a movement among some gardeners not to use peat as much as previously because there is just so much peat left to be harvested in the world. It is a wonderful soil amendment but will not provide any nourishment for the plants. Whether you choose to use it is up to you.
Plan your garden on paper if you like, taking into consideration eventual heights and widths of mature plants. Don't be tempted (as we ALL are!) to plant too closely. You can fill in with annuals the first season if those gaps bother you. Some people like to plant closely the first year, knowing that they will need to thin some plants later. If you have someplace to put those thinned plants, go ahead.
Another way you can lay out your garden if you already have the plants in containers is to set the pots around in the bed until you like the way it looks. This is particularly effective when trying out foliage combinations. Just be careful to remember that some of those little four-inch plants might very well be taller than the gallon sized ones by the end of the first growing season! (Look at the tags on the plants or research it from a good book such as the Sunset Western Garden Book.) The heights and widths listed for plants in such sources are only an estimate and can vary greatly depending upon growing conditions. They are usually good as a rule of thumb, however.
In general, you want the tall plants in back, medium ones in the center and short ones in front. Occasionally placing a tall plant in the front will prevent your bed from being too boring. Also, placing a bold accent plant (usually having dramatic foliage...such as ornamental rhubarb, cardoon, acanthus, etc.) in your grouping can really spiff it up.
Try to plant in odd numbered groupings...3, 5, 7, etc. (except for accent plants which can usually stand alone). This gives the bed a more natural look...not so symmetrical. Also, instead of just grouping in one large circular or blocky area, use a ribbon effect in the border (just don't line them up single-file like little soldiers!). Unless a contrived formal look is what you are striving for, this will contribute to giving the border a more natural appearance.
Although we are often captivated by the beauty of flowers, don't underestimate the importance of foliage in your border. There are a number of wonderful foliage plants which don't necessarily bloom which will lend body to the border and provide an excellent backdrop for the flowering plants. Also, your foliage plants will continue to lend their good looks to the border while some of the colorful plants cease to be so attractive once their season of bloom has passed. Some excellent foliage plant suggestions will be listed in your other handout. Some shrubs and small trees will also enhance the border if you have space.
Another consideration in your border will be season of bloom. You can have more than one color scheme at different times of the year. Many of your better perennial references will list times of bloom. If you don't have experience consult one of these when choosing your plants. There are some perennials which, if dead-headed, will continue to bloom most of the summer. The more dramatic ones like peonies and iris have a spectacular but limited time of bloom. If you are wanting to choose companions for them, you'll need to know when your plants can be expected to have color. Also, when you are planning for more than one color theme in a single border, consulting such a chart can prevent catastrophes. The good news is that if you end up with a glaring color clash in your garden, you can easily move one of the offenders. Don't base this decision on just one season. Sometimes bloom times will vary quite a bit. A few Springs ago it seemed that everything bloomed at once because it was so unseasonably warm.
If a plant doesn't prosper in its location after a season or two...MOVE IT or give it away! Some plants such as peonies may be quite healthy but refuse to bloom for a few years. This is rather common so you may need to wait longer in such a case. Most plants will give you an idea as to whether they like their spot in the first season. Notice the amount of new growth and leaf color. If the plant just never perks up, find a more suitable place for it or give it to the neighbor who has conditions in his yard that it will like. There are a lot of perennials out there...you don't have to keep fussing around with one that doesn't like you when there are so many others that can take its place.
Other Suggestions
|
|
Water well until established...usually during the first season, but don't drown a plant that doesn't like to be too wet! Just keep an eye on newly set plants and don't allow their root balls to dry out. The soil mix around potted plants you buy at the nursery can become impervious to moisture if you let it get too dry. Then you can water and water the plant and it will still not get the moisture where it needs it. If that happens, poke holes carefully around it down into the root mass and repeatedly soak it until you feel the water has penetrated the center of the root zone.
Keep weeds down around your new plants. This is good for the established ones as well. Weeds will gobble up the moisture and nutrients that you want your pretty plants to have. Mulching your bed will take care of this and benefit your garden in other ways as well. It keeps the soil soft and friable and will eventually break down and add nutrients and humus to the soil. If you use grass clippings for mulch, be sure to let them dry a bit first. Also, don't use clippings from lawns that have been treated with compounds such as Weed and Feed.
Unless your perennial has attractive seed heads, keep old blooms picked off ("deadhead") if you want to extend the bloom period. This won't matter so much on something like peonies but will make all the difference on a coreopsis which tends to bloom for a long time anyway. Catmint is another plant that will bloom up to three times in a season if it is shorn back after each flush.
Have fun with your garden and don't be intimidated by the "experts". Your own experience is worth more than anything else. You are bound to have a few failures, but the successes more than outweigh them!
|
Acanthus (Bear's Breech) |
Kniphofia (Torch Lily/Red Hot Poker) |
|
Achillea |
Liatris (Gayfeather) |
|
Alchemilla (Lady's Mantle) |
Liriope (Lily Turf) |
|
Armeria (Thrift) |
Lychnis coronaria (Campion-biennial) |
|
Baptisia australis (False Indigo) |
Malva (Mallow) |
|
Bergenia |
Monarda (Bee Balm...watch for mildew) |
|
Boltonia asteroides 'Snowbank' |
Nepeta mussinii or faasenii (Catmint) |
|
Brunnera (Siberian Bugloss) |
Peony (once established) |
|
Campanula persicifolia (Peachleaf Bellflower) |
Platycodon (Balloon Flower) |
|
Centaurea montana (Mountain Bluet) |
Potentilla (Cinquefoil) |
|
Chrysanthemum parthenium (Feverfew) |
Pulmonaria saccharata (Lungwort) |
|
Coreopsis (Tickseed) |
Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' (Black-Eyed Susan) |
|
Digitalis (Foxglove...most biennial) |
Sedum spectabile (Stonecrop) |
|
Euphorbia (Spurge) |
Solidago (Goldenrod) |
|
Hemerocallis (Daylily) |
Stachys byzantina (Lamb's Ear...don't overwater) |
|
Hosta (watch for slugs) |
Thermopsis (False Lupine) |
|
Iris sibirica (Siberian Iris) |
Tradescantia (Spiderwort) |
|
|
Verbascum (Mullein) |
Perennials for Special Situations
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Poor Soil |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wet Soil |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dry Soil |
|
|
|
|
|
Shade Tolerant |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Prefer Alkaline Soil |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-Lived |
|
|
|
|
|
Attractive Foliage |
|
|
|
|
|
Flowers for Fragrance |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flowers that Attract Hummingbirds |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plants that Attract Butterflies |
|
|
|
|
|
Recommended Reading (Only a few...So many books...so little time!) | |
|
Just for PleasureThe Perennial Gardener by Fred McGourty. The Year in Bloom and anything else by Ann Lovejoy. Color in My Garden by Louise Beebe Wilder Home Ground and anything else by Allen Lacy. The Essential Earthman and anything else by Henry Mitchell. |
|
|
This photo illustrates what you can expect in the first season. The fluffy white cloud in the center is Baby's Breath. I planted three in this bed and this poor soul bloomed itself to death the first year! Some of the other plants used to fill in the gaps at this time are: Nicotiana (back), white marguerites (front, left), and Salvia horminum 'Claryssa Blue' (front center and right).
|
When I worked at the nursery, some of the most interesting perennials we ordered came from Valleybrook Nursery in Canada. They have a website (Heritage/Valleybrook) and on it is an excellent resource for the person starting out with perennials. Click here to go to their Perennial Gardening Tips.
If you have any comments, or if I can be of help with any gardening questions you might have, contact me at CLICK HERE. If I don't have an immediate answer, I have a TON of gardening references to check for you! If it's over my head, I'll tell you that too (I'm terrible with lawn questions!).
![[Bleeding Heart]](images/Bl.Heart.gif)
![[Cayenne's Line Drawing]](images/CayFlrRedo.gif)
![[Hummingbird]](images/Hummer.gif){kind=small}
![[Tiny Blue Butterfly]](images/Butblue.gif){kind=small}
![[Sulfur Butterfly]](images/buttrflyslf.gif)