Perfect Perennials: This year’s new finds

As spring creeps in here in the Pacific Northwest and hits other parts of the country with a bang, it’s time to think perennials. What will you plant in your garden this year to delight you for years to come? These top five perennials are forever favorites that come in new colors and sizes for 2012! 1. Hibiscus: The new “My Valentine” variety has less of a tendency to spread, so you can enjoy the lush hibiscus blooms without stressing over its tendency to take over your garden! The Berrylicious hibiscus is a new color variation that features a pink … Continue reading →

Favorite Perennials: Hostas

Also see: Picking Perennials Favorite Perennials: Daylilies Favorite Perennials: Lambs’ Ear I admit that when I first saw Hostas growing happily in many a New England yard I did not care at all for them. Oh they looked fine for a while, the wide bushy plants that were pretty and leafy. But then, there was the long flower stalks that emerged from the plants, and there was just something about those stalks that didn’t appeal to me. Perhaps it is become they remind me too much of potato eyes, a thing that irrationally fears and repulses me. Since my first … Continue reading →

Favorite Perennials: Lambs’ Ear

Whether you have a mild climate or a cold climate, the following perennial plants will do well for you, no matter what your region. Be sure to take a look at these plants the next time you are visiting your local nursery, garden center or home improvement store. Just the name “Lambs’ Ear (or Lamb’s Ear as it is also named) sounds so wonderful, doesn’t it? This plant features lovely silver leaves. And while it does flower, the leaves are enough of an addition to your garden, and the plant is usually grown for the color and texture of the … Continue reading →

Favorite Perennials: Daylilies

Whether you have a mild climate or a cold climate, the following perennial plants will do well for you, no matter what your region. Be sure to take a look at these plants the next time you are visiting your local nursery, garden center or home improvement store. Daylilies There are so many colors and varieties of daylilies, that you can be sure to find a few different kinds that will suite your taste. From bright yellows to bold magentas, these plants are keepers. Daylilies are probably the first type of flower than I ever tried to cultivate. They are … Continue reading →

Picking Perennials

Spring is here and as the birds flock to our yards, we homeowners tend to flock to the garden centers and home improvement stores to pick up our colorful plants. Perennials are a great choice. Instead of going through the process of buying flats of flowers that die off at the end of the season, such as begonias, impatiens, geraniums and petunias, why not pick some perennials. These plants will come back year after year. This saves both time and money. Perennials may cost a little bit more than annuals when you purchase them, but unlike annuals, they will only … Continue reading →