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Perennials: A Great Choice for Beginning Gardeners

Perennials are plants that live for more than three years. Plants that only bloom once during their life cycle and must be replanted every year are known as annuals. Biennials have a two-year bloom time. Because of their longevity and the fact that they are low maintenance, experts recommend that beginning gardeners start with perennials.

Perennials are divided between those that flower from woody root systems and those that don't (herbaceous). However, because the woody perennials, most frequently in the form of evergreens and shrubs, are always perennials, the term "perennials" most often refers to the herbaceous perennials. While some are shade-loving, others are self-sowing. Because they live for at least three years, collecting their seeds can provide you with even more opportunities to plant flowers.

Conditions for Perennials
Perennials will continue coming up year after year if placed in the proper conditions. Before planting them, be sure that you have quality soil in the location you choose for your perennials. Because these plants will be in this spot for years to come, preparing your soil is crucial to the plant's ability to thrive.

The next key element to perennials' successful growth is providing plenty of water and adequate shade or sun, depending on the specific needs of the plants you choose. Also, be aware of the temperature tolerance of each perennial plant. Most thrive in moderate to warm conditions. With just a bit of care and consideration, you can ensure that your perennials will continue to bloom every year for your enjoyment.

Top Ten Perennials
The following is a list of the most foolproof perennials for your yard. They will provide you with lasting color and require very little maintenance. The top ten include:

• Astilbe (Astilbe sp.)
• Bee Balm (Monarda sp.)
• Bleeding Heart (Dicentra sp.)
• Daylily (Hemerocallis sp.)
• Delphinium (Delphinium sp.)
• Hosta (Hosta sp.)
• Iris (Iris sp)
• Peony (Paeonia sp.)
• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Yarrow (Achillea sp.).

Self-sowing Perennials and Collecting Seeds from Perennials
Some perennials are self-sowing, meaning that they replant (sow) themselves as the wind or water transports the seeds they drop. Other perennials have seedpods. For this type of perennial, harvest the seed pod as it changes color. While the natural way in which the seed pods repopulate can add an interesting pattern to your garden, the pod perennials give the gardener more control over how (s)he wants to develop his garden. Using a mix of both can give you garden a nice balance.

Pruning Perennials
The ways in which you prune perennials depend on their individual growth rates. For example, evergreen perennials do not need any pruning unless you are removing dead areas of them. These perennials can also be trimmed back half way if you want them more dense and bushy.

Semi-evergreen perennials need pruning to get rid of discolored parts. To prune this type of perennial, start at the top and work down, pruning each stem carefully. Woody perennials do not need any pruning until mid-spring. Pruning them back to about six inches from the ground is the general rule. Herbaceous perennials will die completely back to the ground during the winter. Prune them by cutting them all the way back to the ground. As long as you follow these pruning guides for your perennials, their blooms will make your garden beautiful.

The Pros and Cons of Perennials
One of the best things about perennials is how long they last. Once you purchase your perennials you can have them in your yard for years. Most of them require very little pruning, if any at all. If you care for them properly, they will provide your garden with an array of colors.

While they work well with most other plants, they are suited for being planted in the area that will provide them with the amount of shade or light that they require. This means that, as long as you put the shade loving ones in the shade and the sun loving ones in the sun, they will be good neighbors to non-perennials.

Occasionally, perennials can invasive and unwanted. When the wind or water spreads the seeds of self-sowing perennials, you may find that plants start growing in place that you didn't plan for and don't want. While some growers love this aspect of them, others find it intrusive and distract, especially if they have carefully planned and constructed their gardens.

Another con of perennials is the fact that some are susceptible to pest problems. However, on the whole, there are plenty that aren't. As a result, gardeners can effectively avoid pest issues by researching the types of perennials that attract pests. On the whole, perennials make excellent additions to any garden, not only for their color and beauty but also for the fact that they require very little maintenance.