Gardening With Easy Care Perennials

Posted on May 21, 2009 under Best Perennials |

Perennials are those flowers which reliably bloom year after year. They die back to the ground each winter after flourishing for a full growing season only to reemerge again in the spring. They’re also noted for their texture and vibrant colors. Generally, perennials are a bit maintenance though there are those require almost no maintenance. These perennials are some the easiest to care for. They also provide colorful flowers and long lasting foliage.

Daylilies are a very common perennial which do remarkably well with very little maintenance. Their flowers, which are available in a wide range of colors, bloom on stocks which grow up from clumps of long pointed foliage. A profuse bloomer, daylilies flower for weeks. They prefer a bit of shade in the afternoon when the sun is strongest.

Iris is one the first perennials to emerge in the spring. Its purple or white flowers are an essential in the spring garden. Iris grows in spreading clumps which increase in size each year. When their finished blooming, iris will provide the perennial garden with striking foliage through the summer.

Hosta is an extraordinarily hardy and durable perennial. They can grow for an entire season with very little care. Hosta provides the garden with mounds of lush foliage and striking purple or white flower. Hosta is also very adaptable and versatile and can be used in a variety of garden situations. They’re effective as an edging plant and when grown among other flowers in a perennial bed. Hosta is great for shade and part shade gardens.

Astilbe is one of best perennials for the shade or part shade garden. They prefer organic soils and protection from the afternoon sun as dry soils and direct sun tend to cause withering in the plant. Astilbe has finely cut, fern like foliage and pink, white, or peach colored flowers. Astilble may require dividing every few years to encourage healthy blooms as they will often out grow their spot in the garden.

Geranium, a great perennial for the border garden, is a vigorous grower and flowers abundantly. With its spreading habit and profuse flowering abilities, geranium provides the garden with pink, white or purple flowers through mid-summer. Geranium is a wonderful edging plant in a full sun perennial border. Geranium is able to thrive for years with very little maintenance.

Asters bloom in fall and are effective in both the formal perennial garden and the wildflower meadow. Asters bloom in a variety of colors including, white, pink and purple. They are great addition to any perennial border.

Black eyed Susan can tolerate poor soils and survive extreme conditions such as heat and drought. The challenge with black eyed Susan isn’t growing them its keeping them from taking over your garden. As a vigorous grower, they require dividing every few years. Their tall stems produce bright yellow flowers bloom in summer which last though early fall.

Sedum autumn joy is a wonderful fall flowering perennial. It grows clumps which grow larger year after year. Its blooms are tones of pink and not deadheaded, they turn a rusty brown which can add winter interest to the garden. Sedum autumn joy also provides the garden with beautiful lush foliage in the summer.

While these perennials are easy to grow, there are a few very basic maintenance guidelines to follow which will help your garden flourish. In the summer, deadheading the perennials the process of clipping off the spent blooms, in necessary to encourage new blooms. As your perennials grow larger and begin to crowd each other, they may require dividing. Dividing perennials is easily the best way to increase your plant stock. Simply dig the perennial you intend to divide out of the ground making sure to dig out as much of the root system as possible. Take a shovel and chop or divide the plant in half and then replant each half.

Before planting your flowers, observe the conditions of your garden so you can determine what will work best for you. Have a plan or list in hand before you head out to the greenhouse. Once planted, these perennials will provide years of gardening enjoyment.

anonymous
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Gardening With Perennials

8 Responses to “Gardening With Easy Care Perennials”

  1. Laura Says:

    Do you have any suggestions for wildflowers in Indiana that attract hummingbirds and butterflies?
    I'm planting a sun garden to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. I'm looking for easy care perennials that are not hard to find. I already have sweet peas and black-eyed susans.

  2. sandra Says:

    I am not an expert but a friend of mine has a butterfly bush. When were at his house for a party in the summer the bush was full of activity & it was beautiful. Also, hummingbird feeders are good for atracting humming birds.
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  3. hot_tamale Says:

    a butterfly bush should do the job,. get a Gurney's or how ever its spelled magazine lol laughing at my spelling
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  4. purple Says:

    In AZ I just use a couple of hummingbird feeders and they love them! But the little buggers are very territorial. They are so much fun to watch! We watch them fight and fly. I usually have at least ten different hummers around the house at any given time. I've had hanging Fuschia's (spelling?) and they loved them. Definitely bright colors and nectar. Enjoy.
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  5. redneckgardendiva Says:

    Not all these are wildflowers but butterflies and hummers love them…

    Asclepias - butterfly weed/milkweed
    Agastache and Hyssop
    Salvia
    Honeysuckle vine
    Trumpet vine
    Morning glories
    Cardinal climber and cypress vine
    Yucca

    You can also plant glads and cannas but they need to be dug up every fall

    Shrubs - Hibiscus

    Hummers like just about anything red or yellow and anything trumpet-shaped

    That's all I can think of at the time…there's tons more. Do a google search for "hummingbird plants" for more ideas. :-)
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  6. Black Aliss Says:

    monardia or "bee balm"
    melissa or "lemon Balm"
    trumpet vine
    Salvia
    Morning Glories
    spice bush
    queen anne's lace
    any sweet smelling or bright red flowers will attract humming birds, I get the most butterflies in the "wilder" areas of my garden, where I let the pokeberries grow & keep the queen annes lace,particularly giant swallowtails, black swallowtails, monarchs, comma's, mourning cloaks, viceroys & tiger swallowtails, I also get a bunch of sulfurs & cabbage whites. hope this helps!
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  7. ananimalloverinkentucky Says:

    i have several hummingbird feeders out. they also love the following perennials, butterfly bush, purple cone flower, canna,

    annuals that hummers and butterflies love are zennias, sunflowers, hyacinth bean vine, marigolds, touch me nots,…basically anything that flowers like crazy….hummers especially love any flower that is tube/tubular shape

    i have all types of perennials all over and a few annuals and for the last week or so have had in excess of 100 of the little hummers all over getting ready to migrate….butterflies are plentiful also]

    if you put feeders out there is no need to put red food coloring in the water…this has not been proven safe and you can make your own hummer food…mix sugar and water…bring to boil..allow to cool and put some in feeder and the rest in fridge…during extremely hot weather change the feeder emptying out the feeder, rinsing well and putting fresh nectar in it

    cone flowers, sunflowers, cosmos and any flower that blooms profusely will also draw cardinals, yellow finches and other beautiful song birds to your garden if the flowers are allowed to go to seed
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  8. just smee Says:

    wow covered pretty well, but here is my two cents. the rose of Sharron bordering my property (reddish one) attracts more humming birds than my feeder.
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