Color that comes back (or doesn’t).
Few things brighten a yard like flowers. Chapter 10 explains the difference between annuals (plants that complete their life cycle in one season) and perennials (plants that return year after year). You’ll learn how to combine them for continuous bloom from spring through fall.
Annuals like marigolds, petunias, and zinnias are the workhorses of instant color. They bloom nonstop from planting until frost, and they’re cheap enough to replace every year. The downside? You have to replant them annually. The book recommends annuals for containers, window boxes, and filling gaps between perennials.
Perennials like coneflowers, daylilies, and hostas come back bigger each year. They’re more expensive upfront but cheaper over time. The trade-off: most perennials bloom for only 2–4 weeks, then look like green lumps the rest of the season. The solution is to plant a succession of perennials so something is always flowering. For example: bleeding heart in spring, coreopsis in early summer, black-eyed Susan in mid-summer, aster in fall.
The chapter includes a “bloom calendar” template. For each bed, list the plants you want and note their bloom months. Overlap them so there’s no dead period. Then add a few annuals to bridge any gaps.
Planting techniques vary. Annuals are usually planted as small transplants (4‑ or 6‑pack containers). Space them according to their mature width—overcrowding leads to mildew. Perennials can be planted from nursery pots or bare roots. The authors emphasize “perennial math”: one plant becomes three in three years. Give them room to spread, or plan to divide them.
Deadheading (removing spent flowers) encourages rebloom in many species. The book shows you how to pinch back annuals like petunias when they get leggy. For perennials like salvia and catmint, cutting back by half after the first bloom often triggers a second flush.
Finally, the chapter covers overwintering. In cold climates, perennials need a layer of mulch after the ground freezes. Tender perennials (like roses) may need extra protection like burlap wraps or soil mounds.
Garden wisdom: Annuals give you this year’s joy. Perennials build next year’s legacy. Use both.
Comments
Post a Comment