Perennials— A Cost Effective Investment & the Workhorse of Your Garden

Perennials are a hot plant category these days… primarily because of the economy.  A recent survey by Ball Horticultural found home gardeners are looking for plant "investments" that offer good value and cost savings.  Multi-seasonal perennials function as a great foundation and as the building blocks of your landscape design. Perennials contribute color, texture, shape and size to your yard, and they are a loyal workhorse in your garden that typically will come back year after year, at the same time and same place! 

The Ball Horticultural survey also found people perceive perennials as hardy, lasting, enduring, and a better plant investment, (since they come back every year).  Additionally, perennials are forgiving in nature, and require less planting labor in the long run. 

Below:  Hostas, Heucheras, and Corydalis

Planting Heucheras (shown right) will help to extend the season of interest in your garden with their large-sized foliage, colorful bloom period, and then more texture later in the season. 

Long-blooming perennials with proven hardiness, such as Salvia, contribute color and shape to landscape design.   If you plant Sedums now, they will start to bloom in early August and continue to bloom through the fall.

The Candleabra Primrose (shown below) is a great hardy perennial, that is available and blooming now at Al's.  It features tall, purple or orange fragrant blooms in late spring.  Plant in afternoon shade.  Hardy to -20F...

Many varieties of ferns are hardy here in the Northwest, and some are evergreen.  The foliage color is typically variations of green, however right now at Al’s you’ll find ferns with fronds in silver/burgundy tones, and even fronds in coppery/green hues.

Ornamental grasses can add great texture, form and motion to your garden.   They are also easy to care for and hardy in the Northwest, with the exception of Purple Fountain Grass, which is still worth the investment however because it is so beautiful, (especially in containers), and it particularly has great movement to it.

Above:  Ornamental Grasses

Delphiniums:  Currently available with white, blue, purple, and pink blooms.  Grows to 3 - 6' height.  Sun.  Hardy to -40F.   

Tickseed/Coreopsis:  Multiple varieties are available now.  Most have yellow blooms, some white with rasberry shading.  Grows to 15 - 24".  Hardy to 20-30F. Sun. 

 

Heucheras:  Multiple varieties and colors are available with beautiful spring foliage, yet Heucheras also have great evergreen foliage in the winter.  Grows in the sun or shade, up to 20" tall.  Hardy to -30F.  Color contrast best in PM shade.

 

Hardy Hisbiscus (Left):  Is currently still dormant, however it breaks dormancy in late spring.  It loves late summer heat, sun, and grows to 24 - 48".  Blooms in white, pink, or pink and white swirl blooms.  Many varieties have huge 7 - 10" wide blossoms!

 

Daylilies:  Daylilies have fragrant blooms that are actually edible.  Blooms are available in white, yellow, or red and yellow.  They grow 12" - 36".  Plant in sun or PM shade.  Hardy to -40F.

 

Boltonias (Right):  Boltonias bloom mass sprays of flowers that resemble asters, which appear above gray-green foliage.  They bloom late summer into fall.  Plant in full sun.