Why grow perennials instead of annuals like petunias or marigolds?
If you grow lots of annual flowers, you are familiar with the chores necessary to maintain the plantings: You purchase flower seedlings (or start your own), plant them in spring, and nurture them throughout the growing season. Then, when the season’s over and the plants die, you pull them out. Next spring, the cycle begins anew. Perennial plants remain in the ground year after year. Once established, most perennials need minimal upkeep in the form of watering and fertilizing, since their roots are more far-ranging than those of annual plants. Many perennials spread readily, filling out garden spaces and providing more and more color each year. Will my perennials flower all summer, like my annuals? Most perennial plants have a distinct bloom period, lasting anywhere from a week to a month or more. Plant descriptions usually include an approximate bloom time, such as “early summer” or “autumn.” A few will describe certain plants as continuous bloomers, but even these usually have a perio
