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Herbaceous Perennials,
commonly called Perennials, are non-woody plants that grow and flower
successively over a number of years.
Although some perennials are
evergreen retaining most if not all their growth over the winter, the
majority die back to ground level becoming dormant over the winter. When
with the arrival of spring and warmer weather perennials will regrow from
their underground roots.
Most Perennials are long
lived, and once established will become the mainstay of the flowering
garden. However, some Perennials are short lived and need to be renewed
every once in a while (Snapdragons ~ Antirrhinum are really Perennials,
but due to their short life span and reducing vigour, are usually treated as
Annuals). Fortunately the shorter lived Perennials tend to produce
prolific amounts of seed and do most of the work of renewing themselves for us.
Perennials come in all
shapes and sizes, demonstrating a wide variety of scents, colours,
textures and habit, from low mound forming plants that grow no
higher than a few inches, to specimens that can exceed 6 feet in height.
Perennials include not
only the traditional herbaceous border plants but also climbers, water
garden, succulent, alpine and rock garden plants.
The versatility of
Perennials is extraordinary, and one can find plants to suit almost any
soil type, climate, or light level.
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Choosing Perennials for
the Border
Perennials are grown not
only for their flowers, but also for their leaf form and habit, and it is
worth keeping this in mind when choosing plants for the Garden. Not many
Perennial plants flower continuously throughout the growing season.
Some, like Delphiniums, put on a magnificent display early in the season,
and if the dead flower heads are removed they will regrow to give a second
flush of flowers later in the season. If we were to rely purely upon
flowers to supply the eye candy we are striving for, we would inevitably
be disappointed. Yet if we aim firstly to produce a canvas of different
leaf form and plant habit that will become the backdrop for our flowers we
will have achieved a continually changing tapestry that will be a delight
at any time during the growing season.
Happily the versatility
of Perennials can meet the challenge.
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