Who wouldn’t love a perennial that provides non-stop color the whole growing season and is low maintenance to boot? Garden enthusiasts everywhere hunt through rows of plants, reading tags, searching for the one “do-it-all” plant. Is this you? Are you searching for this magical perennial?
In the world of perennials, I am sorry to say, it doesn’t exist.
But, Why Not?
So many gardeners work long hours in the spring months, feverishly planting a variety of perennials for spectacular summer color. Packing all your planting into several weeks each year isn’t always the most relaxing—or beneficial to your landscape.
Here is the Real Magic
All is not lost. You can still capture some garden magic. Here are 4 tips to create a garden that looks spectacular for the entire growing season.
1. Experiment with succession planting: Succession planting refers to the simple practice of adding perennials in a staggered time frame throughout the season for a long-lasting display of color. Doing a little planting several times throughout the season is much easier (especially on your body)—and more rewarding. While visiting The Garden Spot throughout the growing season, you will see all the different blooms, bloom times, and the new varieties arriving constantly. Remember: Planting isn’t just for spring!
2. Choose a color palette that inspires you: Warm tones of reds, oranges, and yellows or cool tones of blues, purples, and soft pink. My personal favorite right now is using contrasting colors—yellow or lime green with a deep purple and blue.
3. Layer your colors and textures: The true beauty of selecting perennials and designing a perennial planting is layering in colors and different bloom times to provide the all-season color we are searching for. Don’t rely just on the bloom. A lot of interest can be found in foliage colors, shape of the plant, and its texture.
4. Know your sun and soil: When trying to select plants for your space, look at the amount of sun it receives. How much morning sun (4 hours or less), afternoon sun (hot/4-8 hours), or all-day sun (8+ hours) do you get? Knowing the amount of sun will help guide you to find the plants that will thrive.
Also, when you visit The Garden Spot, come prepared with some basic information about your garden. How much light does it get? Is it wet, dry, or somewhere in between? Is it rocky, sandy, or rich, black dirt? We can help direct you to plants that will be the most successful and have lots of impact.
Choosing a mix of bloom times for the season, different foliage colors, structures and textures, and knowing your garden space will increase the impact and make for a magical perennial planting with year-round interest and plants that will succeed. When in doubt, seek one of us out and we are happy to help!