Unidentified blue flower
Evolvulus glomeratus. Well I didn’t know back then that they came in other
colours. Wow!
Perennial flowers can be grown singly or in groups (but always plant them
in threes or fives otherwise they can end up looking a bit like a row of
vegetables). It just looks better to have flowers in odd numbers. Annuals
and biennials can then be used to fill in any gaps and complement the
perennial flowers.
Ipomoea macrantha
The Moonflower. This is definitely the one I had. Ipomoea alba.
The Moonflower is the only plant which brings tears to my eyes even
thinking about it, because it is so beautiful. It flowers for most of the
year, its perfume is out of this world and you can just sit and watch each
flower opening. This takes less than half an hour and it is time very well
spent. It’s a climber and will completely surround your house if you plant
several. The seeds are very large and easy to collect. This hardy perennial
plant will flower for most of the year in a temperate climate. You can buy
these large and treasured seeds online.
In the following List of Perennials, there will be some which overlap with
the Annual Plants. Some types can be Annuals depending on where you live,
and some are hybrids or cultivated types which are continually being
developed to deliberately extend their flowering period which, after all,
is what we all want.
The Essential Seaside Daisy.
I Love The Seaside Daisy. Also Called Fleabane.
308Simpan
Always, always, start your garden with Erigeron (Seaside Daisy or
Fleabane). Even if you put it in a pot at your door. You can’t kill it and
it is absolutely delightful. It blooms and blooms ‘as if it meant it’. For
at least 5 months of the year. The Seaside Daisy is like the Fairy Rose: it
always has white, pale pink and deeper pink flowers on the bush at the same
time. That’s its main attraction for me. Photo Credit.
Gozdzik brodaty
Dianthus barbatus. ‘Sweet William’. A stunning photograph of mixed Dianthus
and Pansies.
Another beautiful Perennial noted for its heavenly perfume is the Oriental
Lily. This is so exquisite that it is a very popular flower for Bridal
Bouquets nowadays. The Pink Stargazer Lily is more highly perfumed than the
white.
A List of Perennial Flowers. Some Of The Most Common and Easiest Types To
Grow.
Geraniums
Daisies
Shasta Daisy
Salvia
Chrysanthemums
Lilies
Phlox
Coneflower
Daylilies
Lobelia
Poppy
Moonflower
Morning Glory
Clematis
Wallflower
Seaside Daisy
Iris Flower
Forget Me Not
Anemones
Lily of the Valley
Coreopsis
Agapanthus
Peony
Bergenia (Saxifragas)
Campanula
Blue-Eyed Grass
Dianthus
Evening Primrose
Evolvulus
Forget Me Not
Verbenia
Sweet Pea
River Rush
Lavender
Ice Plant
Find more perennials with pictures: List of Perennial Flowers A to Z.
When To Plant Perennials.
The best time to plant your perennials so that they thrive well is in
Spring and Austumn, neither too hot nor too cold. Perennials planted in
Summer can be devastated by heat and may just whither up and die. So choose
the best spot for these stars of your garden: one where they will get good
soil, compost and mulch, adequate water and the right amount of sun
according to the plant tag.
Brunfelsia bonodora
Brunfelsia bonodora.
One Perennial which is a must have for me – sweet memories of childhood in
this one – is the heavily fragrant Brunfelsia shrub. It’s often called the
‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ plant and one look in spring or summer will
tell you why. It always has flowers which are just dying (whitish for
Yesterday), blooming well (dark blue for Today), and heading towards full
bloom (pale blue for Tomorrow). It shares this lovely habit of three
different colours at the same time with the Seaside Daisy and the Fairy
Rose. A delightful habit.
Ever Wondered Just How Perennial Flowers Do Survive The Winter When It’s
Really Cold?
Perennials can survive the winter underground using the snow to actually
help them cope. The plants stay snug and warm with the snow on top
insulating them from the extremely cold temperatures. If you have added
mulch in the autumn around your perennials, this helps them too. But the
most interesting fact is that their roots have the ability to filter water
into the surrounding soil so that the water in their roots does not freeze!
Then when the danger of freezing to death has passed they take back their
water and get ready for spring. This is why we see Crocuses and many others
shooting up through the snow. They have been able, not only to survive, but
to start to grow even when it’s still snowing. Not only that, but they
actually use the snow to keep them warm. That’s clever! Even Humans use the
snow to keep warm if they are lost by building a snow cave.
The Ephemerals.
The Bluebell Woods in Spring.
A Fleeting Glimpse Of Bluebells In Early Spring.
308Simpan
Hyacinthoides non-scripta. (Bluebell).
The other group of plants labelled by their flowering cycles are the
Ephemerals (meaning fast-fading).
A good example of these are wildflowers which make the most of the short
season when conditions are just right, such as the gorgeous display above,
and desert plants also belong in this group. Desert plants are any plants
which receive less than 10″ of rain per year.
The group a particular plant belongs do is heavily influenced by the
environment, the amount of sunlight and water it gets, the temperature and
just how it is going to reproduce. Getting the balance just right is an
extraordinary feat which the plants, fortunately, work out for themselves.
We just need to know what, when and how our plants are going to meet their
need to reproduce – so we know where to put them.