Perennials
If you can choose, plant perennials in
the Spring, when the flowers will have plenty of time to get
established before the heat of Summer. While just about any
perennial can be planted at any time of year (unless the ground
is frozen solid), April-May is best for care-free perennials.
Because most
perennials last a few years, they are among the least
labor-intensive of all flower varieties. This, plus the fact that
a perennial's bloom is often extremely colorful and eye-catching,
make them excellent additions to any flower garden.
The downside
to planting perennials is the short bloom periods. However, with
careful planning, this can be overcome by simply choosing
perennial varieties with varying bloom phases. This can assure a
constantly changing and interesting perennial flower garden at
virtually any time of the year.
Another smart
strategy with perennials is to mix them among some annual flowers
that bloom for lengthy periods during the year. Annuals are more
work than perennials, of course, but the result of mixing the two
can be visually stunning!
