What are the best perennial flowers to plant in your flower garden? The best perennial flowers for a flower landscape are the ones that stay alive for more than one growing season. This is because perennials do not flower for just one growing season, but many seasons. A flower that blooms for three or more years is called a shrub. A flower that blooms for four or more years is called a tree.
What are the characteristics of the best perennial flowers for fandscaping? When planting a flower landscape, the best perennials will be those that grow in clumps or as groups. This characteristic makes them hardy and adaptable to most forms of soil and climate. Flowering perennials are great for a flower garden because they will help keep your garden looking clean and green year-round. Additionally, perennial flowers like daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips will help keep your garden free of pests and diseases. They will also provide an endless array of colors year-round for your landscaping.
Some of the best perennial flowers for landscaping include Milkweed, Bee Balm, Hosta, Mimosa, and Aquilaria. All of these flowers grow well for a fence, trellis, garden bench top, or other outdoor use. You can grow them indoors if you live in colder climates. Here is a list of the best perennial flowers for landscaping with flowers that grow for one year.
Shasta Daisy: This popular California flower thrives in full sunlight and well-drained soil. It flowers from spring through fall, blooming again in the winter. The flowers look like tiny gladioli flowers but their tiny flowers are actually pointed and have four pointed petals. Because the flowers do not have a long stem, you do not need a trellis to enjoy them.
Milkweed: This perennial grows best in full sun and partial shade. It prefers well-drained soil, so mounding the soil is very important. This plant can be grown by itself or you can combine it with other perennials to create a colorful landscape. These plants will tolerate some drought, so they are great for a Mediterranean garden.
Hosta: This perennial flowers from late summer through fall. It grows best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Hosta is a perennial, which means the seeds will reproduce year-round. The best time to plant Hosta is about a week before the last frost or the first snowfall.
Low Maintenance perennials provide flowers year-round and are ideal as your color source throughout the year. Because they require little maintenance, you can enjoy their blooms for years. Perennial flowers like these are perfect for the shaded side of your home, a balcony or a raised garden bed. However, it is best to keep annuals mulched. Make sure the planting site has good drainage and mulch with organic material to conserve moisture.
Get Started Planting: Set your planting zone and then follow the directions on the seed packets for a specific flower. Be sure to choose flowers with similar growing requirements so that the plants will get off to an even start. Once the soil is prepared, you will need to prepare the seeds. For planting across a southern window frame, place the seeds to be planted in a row up the wall. For north American gardeners, follow the directions on the seed packets.
Planting & Growing Tips Planting Zone: Determine the area where your flowers will be planted for all-year flowering. In warm zones, plant the flowers early in the spring as temperatures rise. In cool zones, the best time for planting is late in winter. Perennials like these should be dug up and divided every few years. If the division does not occur, the flowers may bloom on the same spot forever.
Watering Needs: Careful planning of the season and planting location will dictate the type of watering needed. In warm areas, a full sun is preferred so as to encourage blooming. Shorter days are better for perennials that spend at least part of the year under a shade. For northern types, a weekly watering is required but no daily watering is required as in the southern states.
Pruning: Prune the flowers according to the shape and growth habit. Narrow-leaf perennials thrive by having narrow leaves while a wider-leaved perennial grows higher and spreads out from the base. Many perennials are bushy, but shorter blooms generally grow bigger. Some grow in clumps and form large mats which can be shredded and used as mulch. Flowers and foliage can be separated to improve soil drainage and to prevent disease. In colder climates, a cold seepage system can be installed to conserve moisture.