Better Homes and Gardens BH&G Perennial Gardening 2023

Each plant has an ability to withstand cold temperatures. The temperature range is expressed as a Zone—and a hardiness Zone map shows where you can grow each plant. Planting for your Zone There are 13 Zones in the United States, and each Zone represents the lowest expected winter temperature in that area. Each Zone is based on a 10-degree difference in minimum temperatures. When you know your hardiness Zone, you can choose plants for your garden that will flourish. Look for the hardiness Zone on the plant tags of the perennials, trees, and shrubs you buy. Microclimates in your yard Not all areas in your yard are the same. Depending on your geography, trees, and structures, some spots might receive differing sunlight and wind and, consequently, experience temperature variations. Take a look…

Charming beauty and limitless potential top the list of reasons to grow perennials. These reliable plants can be orchestrated to play symphonies of seasonal color that delight and inspire. A perennial is a nonwoody plant that lives for more than two years and typically dies back as hard frosts embrace foliage. New growth emerges in spring, either from the ground or from remnants of woody stems. Some perennials such as heart-leaf bergenia or mondograss retain foliage year-round, and in warmer regions, they stand as evergreen sentries amid seasonal change. Hidden amid perennials’ wonderful attributes, however, lie a few challenges. Knowledge needed While some plants feature easy-growing personalities, shrugging off disease or unfurling self-cleaning blooms, most perennials need attention. Because perennials require knowledge to grow, tending them easily becomes a lifelong pursuit filled…

Once you begin to discover perennials to grow in your garden, it’s time to leap into the pool of plant taxonomy, the naming of plants. The reason you need to understand plant names is simple: Some plants, such as coneflower, have several named varieties. If you want a coneflower with backward-curving orange petals, you’ll need to understand the name to purchase the right one. Some perennial names, such as Campanula portenschlagiana, are curiously long and complicated, while some are short and sweet, as in Alcea rosea. The purpose of plant names is to organize the world of plants. Most perennials have two types of names: common and botanical. Common Names The common name of a plant is easy to pronounce and, at times, wonderfully descriptive. Names such as blackberry lily, bleeding heart,…

Internationally diverse, perennials hail from every part of the globe. You can grow agapanthus from South Africa, campanula from Russia, meadow rue from Spain, or peonies from China. If you prefer North American natives, look for bleeding heart, cardinal flower, coralbells, evening primrose, or hyssop. Layered onto this geographical array of homelands, perennials also originate from a variety of growing conditions. Some, such as Japanese water iris, rose turtlehead, and sweet flag, grow in standing water. Pinks and yellow corydalis thrive in fast-draining, slightly alkaline soil, while astilbe and primrose flourish in moist, well-drained soil and shade. Perennials offer possibilities for every growing situation. As you contemplate digging into perennial gardening, approach it from the standpoint of solving landscape problems. There’s a perennial that will thrive in every growing situation. If you have…

One of the biggest influences in choosing perennials you’ll grow is how much sunlight your garden site receives. The majority of perennials thrive in six hours of sun, but thanks to the many plants that unfurl fabulous foliage and beautiful blooms in less light, you can plan a striking garden even in shady conditions. Inventory Sunlight Gauge how much sunlight bathes your garden site. It’s best to assess light patterns every hour or two in the course of a day, noting where shadows fall, linger, and pass. If you spy sunlight trails during spring, bare-branched trees often give the illusion of sunny spots beneath; what you think is a sunny area might be swallowed by shade when leaves emerge. Buildings and walls also cast shadows; consider those structures as you plot the…

Most perennials prefer soil that allows water to drain and offers nutrition to hungry plant roots. Four components make up soil: sand, silt, clay, and organic matter. The proportions of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter affect the ability of soil to hold or release water and nutrients. Soil with high clay content retains nutrients, but the tiny clay particles also trap water, creating a drainage issue. Prolonged rainfall causes waterlogged conditions as water displaces oxygen around plant roots. To determine whether your soil has high clay content, grab a handful of moist soil and squeeze it. Clay soil will feel sticky and form a tight clump. Smaller than grains of sand but larger than clay, silt particles form soil that drains freely and holds nutrients. Silty soil feels powdery when…