LONG BLOOMING PERENNIALS

About Perennials

Perennials are easy to maintain, even in difficult garden spots so long as some basic rules are kept:

• select "sun-loving" and "shade-loving" plants according to site conditions
• transplant new perennials into a well-prepared bed or container with a nutritious growing medium
• ensure an adequate supply of water throughout the growing season
• feed each new plant with the correct fertilizer

There are three main types of perennials. "Herbaceous" are those that live from year to year, with growth dying back during winter; "Biennials" only flower during their second season of growth before dying. "Woody" perennials, on the other hand, always maintain growth above the ground giving your garden volume during the winter months.

Getting Started

Plan ahead. Envision a flower bed by browsing through catalogs and walking through the aisles of the plants on display at Pasquesi Home & Gardens. Once home, set the plants out in the beds to give an overall picture of the garden. Identify areas suitable for bulbs and annuals as well. Allow for growth, height differences, space, color and the variation caused by the seasons.

For dramatic effect group together perennials of the same type and color. Allow enough space between each cluster for growth, and plant tall perennials at the back or in the center of a flower bed, and smaller perennials, bulbs and annuals at the front.

Planting Perennials

Plants need a nutritious growing medium and good drainage.

The best growing conditions are created by incorporating organic matter such as peat moss or mushroom compost in the soil when planting perennials. Organic mixes contain rich, fibrous materials that break down the clay in garden soil.

Check drainage by observing the flower bed after watering or rainfall to see if there is standing water surrounding the plants or where planting is proposed. Sometimes it is necessary to build a raised flower bed to create good drainage or to avoid poor soil.

Most perennials are ideally suited for spring planting, and those sold in containers can be cultivated successfully throughout the growing season. Plants can wither in "shock" after they are transplanted into the garden unless they are well-watered and kept cool. Avoid planting in the heat of the day.

Extending The Blooming Season

Mulching the soil will keep the growing medium moist, and keep out weeds. In summer mulch the beds with an inch or two of wood chips or well-rotted down compost or manure. Peat moss is an excellent mulch.

"Deadheading" perennials keep them blooming longer. Remove each flower after it blooms and before it seeds. Many perennials will re-flower over and over.

In autumn, cut the perennials down to 2 to 4 inches. But wait until mid-December when the ground has frozen to apply a winter mulch of fallen leaves, hay and evergreen branches. Remove the winter mulch and fertilize the beds during the spring.

For More Information

Caring for Perennials by Janet Macunovich; The Complete Book of Hardy Perennials by Richard Bird; and Encyclopedia of Garden Plants by Christopher Brickell.

Choosing Long Blooming Perennials

On the back are some of the perennials available from Pasquesi Home & Gardens that will bloom about 10 weeks or longer. Availability will depend on seasonal fluctuations.

Also, Pasquesi Home & Gardens is a complete resource for gardening, home and pet supplies. There are hundreds of beautiful accents for the home and out-of-doors, and Pasquesi Home & Gardens has an unrivaled collection of containers for indoors and outdoors in many different styles, materials and shapes. Both stores carry a wide range of quality garden tools and outdoor furniture.