Selecting Perennial Flowers to Grow

Perennial flowers should be an important part of any landscaping plan. Consider their height,color, the time of season when in bloom, growth habits, along with their form and the texture they will add to your garden. They can be used to good effect in front of larger shrubs, hedges, or fences.

Do not consider perennials as permanent fixtures in your garden as they need to be periodicall divided to continue to provide quality blooms.

Perennials come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, colors and textures. Most perennials require full sun (8 hours or more of sunlight). When selecting your perennials, we recommend that you choose plants derived from native species that do best in your area.

Observe the bloom period for perennials in your neighborhood. Chose plants that will bloom together as well as those that will be showy when little else is in bloom. To obtain details on particular plants, consult plant societies, specialty books, nurseries, and local botanical gardens.

When selecting perennials consider the following:

• Unlike annuals, perennials bloom for a matter of weeks, not months. Buy a variety of perennials with different bloom times, so you can enjoy ongoing displays of color.
  
• Focus on foliage as well as bloom when selecting perennials. The foliage shapes and textures are as exciting as the variety of blooms.
  
• Perennials fill in over time. It may take two to four seasons for a little plant to become a big plant, so there is no need to plant perennials close together.
  

When planting your perennials be sure to use a quality root stimulator at the time of planting and for the first 4 - 6 waterings to follow. This will get your plants off to quick start by promoting vigorous root growth.

Beginning perennial gardeners find the wide selection of plants bewildering. So, here are eight reliable perennial performers for a sunny site: peony, Siberian iris, daylily, bulb lily, black eyed Susan, purple coneflower, cranesbill and sedum. These are widely adapted, easy to grow, and beautiful.

• Peony (Paeonia) zones 3-8 - The beauty of the single peonies, with only a few rows of petals, lies in their simplicity. They tend to be early-flowering with delicate, divided foliage.
  
• Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica) zones 3-8 - Siberian Iris are elegant, easy to grow, very versatile, and make stunning cut flowers. They thrive in almost every garden environment, including wet soils at the margins of ponds, and are hardy even in the coldest areas.
  
• Daylily (Hemerocallis) zones 3-8 - The flowers of most species open at sunrise and wither at sunset being replaced by another one on the same stem the next day. They make good cut flowers when using a large stem with many buds.
  
• Bulb lily (Lilium) zones 3-8 - Many species are widely grown in the garden in temperate and sub-tropical regions. Sometimes they may also be grown as potted plants. A large number of ornamental hybrids have been developed. They can be used in herbaceous borders, woodland and shrub plantings, and as a patio plant.
  
• Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia "Goldsturm") zones 3-8 - A stiff, upright annual or shortlived perennial native to the eastern United States, but has become endemic throughout North America. The Black-Eyed Susan is probably the most common of all American wildflowers. The characteristic brown, domed center is surrounded by bright yellow ray florets. Thrives in most soils in full sun. A true sunshine worshiper that forgives neglect.
  
• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) zones 3-8 - A robust, drought tolerant perennial, native to the midwestern and southeastern United States. flowers are arranged individually on sturdy, elongated stems with soft lavender or purple petals surrounding an iridescent red-orange, coned center. Prefers full sun to partial shade in fertile, well-drained soils. Absolutely stunning!
  
• Cranesbill (Geranium) zones 5-8, some hardy to zone 3 - The hardy geraniums are pretty much the stereotypical garden plants. They revel in good quality well-drained garden soil in full sun, demanding little from the gardener save for keeping them in check every now and then.
  
• Stonecrop (Sedum) zones 3-8 -  This plant is an excellent plant for those places you just don't water often. It is very drought tolerant and will turn a lighter shade of color if given too much water. Plant where the stonecrop will see a lot of sunshine as the leaves can actually turn floppy with too much shade.