Perennial Plants: Long-Lived Garden Staples

Perennials live three+ years. Herbaceous types die back to ground each winter, regrowing from roots in spring. Trees/shrubs may retain foliage. They’re considered hardy after surviving a winter.

Growing Perennials

• Direct sow possible; blooms in year two, then annually.
• Climate affects behavior: Northern zones may treat perennials as annuals; mild zones may extend annuals.
• Bloom period shorter than annuals (~2–3 weeks), but stagger varieties for continuous color.
• Mass plantings create impact; consider mature size.

Advantages

• Incredible variety of color, texture, size.
• Many retain foliage year-round (groundcovers, shrubs).
• Longevity justifies maintenance (pruning, dividing).
• Purchased seed/hybrids give truer results than saved seed.

Combine with annuals for longest bloom season.