I wonder why gardeners use perennials. What do someone has in mind when choosing a perennial? What are the goals of a gardener for his garden? borders? rock garden? ground covers? ... ?
Boy, oh boy, talk about opening up a can of worms. I'll address the main question only: we grow perennials to have them come back up in the same spot year after year and you don't have to go through basically redesigning the garden each year with annuals. With the use of perennials you can add year-round interest to the garden -though in Quebec right now that would all be hidden under a blanket of snow I suppose- and right now for example I have a Helleborus hybrid in bloom in the garden. Most perennials can be easily divided and spread around to various spots in the garden or shared with friends. Or trade with friends to get a wider variety. Choosing a given perennial involves first of all to determine what spot in the garden do you have in mind, what sort of light does it get, is it in part or full sun, how large a spot is it. Do some research and from the selection of perennials at the garden centre see what is there that you like the shape/flowers of and how it would fit in given the answers to the above questions, keeping in mind that what you are buying is probably rather immature and you should look at the label for a guide as to how large the plant will be once it is fully grown. No point for example to put a Hosta Sum and Substance in a partially sunny area that's only 2x2 ft, a mature specimen may easily be 6 ft in circumference. Most people's gardens are ever evolving, plants get moved, new varieties come along that you cannot resist, you try and have plants in bloom over as long a period as possible so there is always something of visual interest. We try and have something in bloom every month of the year and if at all possible I'd like that to be blooms with fragrance, but that's not always possible of course. Go to a specialist garden centre/nursery, don't bother with the big box stores, and talk with their staff. You'll find most plant people will be only too happy to help out, but before you do, make up a broad list of goals of what you have in mind for your garden, what size is it, what sort of sun exposure do you have, what kind of soil is there now, the basics in other words. Once you have those, nursery staff typically will help you select plants to suit those needs. Last but not least, consider joining a local gardening club and look at lots of gardens around you. You will quickly develop a feel for what it is you do like and what you don't care for, both in terms of design as well as choice of plants. Bon chance!
Hi, thanks for your response. As English is a second language, I will try to explain what I am looking for. (the translation might not come true.) Anyow, here are some ideas that you will find in description: Perennials can be used for one or more of the following: Winter attraction and structure, alpine garden and troughs, old-fashioned, water gardens and on the edge of it, Fall interest, border, bulb garden, collector garden, edible garden, spices, herbs or condiment substitutes, edible fresh flower and foliage, for a small postage-stamp garden or interior court, in containers of all kinds, as ground covers, lawn substitutes or between walkways, as a carpet, in screes and moraines, in a school yard or at a summer home, in dry sunny spot, with aromatic foliage, with colored or variegated foliage, as cut flowers or for drying, in cracks or crevices in a wall or rock gardens, climbers and weepers, in a ditch or always-wet spot, may be a fern garden or native look, for the foliage (nice, structural, giant), in a vacant lot or as a meadow garden, for the fruits fresh or dried, evergreen foliage, for the giant height, as ornamental grasses, as a screen or a hedge, for essential oils or fragrance as in lavender, for dried leaves, making pot-pourri, wreath, table center, wall decoration, cards, ..., miniature, bonzai or dish gardens, to force flowers, to mass, for topiary, mosaiculture and wall garden, for medical, cosmetic or nutraceutical uses, to naturalize, in a rock wall or on top of it, in a shady dry spot,(under evergreens), in alpine meadows or lawn, in a hanging basket, a vertical garden, restauration of a natural space or banks, woodland garden, in acidic or very alkaline soil, on shallow soil, in a bog, on treillises and stakes, may be a green roof or xeriscape, for year-around interest or long blooming period, ... These are a few ideas and uses that I am looking in the attributes of the plant Bon Jardinage / Happy Gardening Majella
Salut Majella, English is a second language for me as well, except that I've been communicating in it for only the past 41 years. And yes, all the things you describe are attributes of perennials, but you have given SOOOO many possible uses that it seems to me you either have trouble defining what your gardening goals are or you wish to know which plants to use for any given purpose, such as what you describe. If it is the latter, why not look at Heritage Perennials' Website where you can search for plants that meet as many as 5 different criteria you can specify.
