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PerennialPlants& Flowers

In the world of flora and fauna, we know that all good things must come to an end. But, when you’ve put so much time, effort and love into establishing a floral garden or planters that is a haven for pollinators, it’s disheartening to see it die back.

You want lovely flower beds filled with blooms or pots overloaded with colourful delights. More than that, you want them to come back year after year. Then there is the range of plant types to choose from - do you go for a shrub, an annual, maybe a bi-annual or even a perennial? Which one will brighten your garden all year round?

You’re in luck! We’re here to explain everything you need to know about the large group of plants and flowers called perennials.

What are perennial plants?

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In straightforward terms, perennial refers to plants that live longer than two years (it’s actually thought that 94% of plants fall under this category). The Latin name translates to ‘throughout the years’, which sums it up quite well.
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Under the branch of perennials there are subcategories: herbaceous and evergreen. Herbaceous perennials look as if they have died in winter but bounce back the following spring. Meanwhile, evergreen perennials keep their greenery and leaves all year round.

There is then the question of what is the difference between an herbaceous plant and a shrub? Well, herbaceous plants have non-woody stems, whilst shrubs have more woody and rigid stems.

Herbaceous Perennials

If you’re looking for a burst of colour over the spring and summer months, then you’ll be looking for some herbaceous perennials. These plants are usually going strong over the warmer months before retreating underground through autumn and winter. Then the following spring they reappear, ready to bring joy to your garden and provide pollen for visiting bees. They really are perfect for every garden, adding texture and colour whatever the space.

Evergreen Perennials

When your garden is crying out for all-round-year joy, even when the flowers die away, then you need to look for some all year round plants. This lot are the evergreen perennials and, to put it simply, provide plants for all seasons. Yep, we’re even talking about greenery in the darkest, winter months!

Indoor Perennials

If you haven’t got much outdoor space and want to bring the perennials indoors, you’re in luck. There is plenty of choice with perennial houseplants and some of them you can even transfer outside if you want.

For a touch of drama, why not start with a bromeliad which, with its sword-shaped leaves and bright, spiky flowers, will make a real statement. They grow naturally on the bark of trees in tropical rainforests and love a warm, sunny spot (don't we all). Bromeliads are resilient and can be moved outdoors during the summer if they have a nice, protected spot.

Peace lilies are the perfect evergreen plant that is incredibly easy to look after. Should they bathe in enough light, they will go on to produce white flowers from early summer that keep coming back each year.

Popular perennial plants for the garden

Looking for easy-to-grow perennial flowers for your garden? Look no further, here’s some of our favourite perennial plants you can grow.

If you want the best of both worlds with an evergreen perennial, a plant like Barrenwort (its official name is Epimedium) delivers it all with both flowers and foliage. The low-growing plant will add greenery all year round, but in spring it also produces beautiful delicate flowers. Pick your variety carefully because some are semi-deciduous while others are semi-evergreen (they lose some of their foliage for a short period).

Evergreen doesn’t literally need to mean green. Go with Bergenia (which also has the incredibly cute name of Elephant’s Ears) which delivers colourful leaves all year round and small flowers in spring. Depending on the variety you get, they can take on a beautiful reddish appearance during the colder weather. Want to know how it got its other name – just take a look at the leaves! Or go with Heucheras which produces small flowers in summer but, without doubt, it is the rainbow of colours found in their leaves that delivers the real impact. You can choose from silver, berry red and even orange varieties.

Let’s not forget the bees with our perennial plants. In summer, what could be better than the rich pollen of a lavender plant? Sweet-smelling flowers in the bees’ favourite colour - purple. Your garden will look better with all those perfect pollinators buzzing around!

Who says your borders need to look boring once the days are getting shorter. That’s certainly not the case with Achillea (also known as Yarrows). With its feathery foliage and flat-topped flowers, this gorgeous perennial will see you from summer through to autumn. Even better, the bees love them too!

Perennial Flowers

Bring a splash of colour to your garden, pots and containers with perennials that are offer a riot of colour. Even better, all the perennial flowers we mention here are perfect for cutting and popping in your vase.

Spring perennial flowers

Peonies

If you’re looking for a showstopper, then it has to be the peonies. Arriving in late spring and early summer, their extravagant, fluffy heads offer a touch of elegance to your outside space.

Daffodils

Nothing shouts the arrival of spring more than the nodding heads of daffodils. Their yellow flowers are one of the cheeriest sights to see. The perfect symbol of warmer days to come!

Summer perennial flowers

Verbena

A popular summer flower for borders, verbena are definitely the quiet heroes of the garden. They produce a mass of flowers in shades of purple, pink, red and white that keep going into early autumn. Be ready, because they do seed freely, and you can expect to see new plants appearing all over the garden.

Delphiniums

With their rich blue, purple, red, white and pink floral spikes, delphiniums are perfect for that cottage garden look. They rise above the garden border (up to two metres tall) providing a pop of colour in early summer and sit tall in your vase.

Autumn perennial flowers

Dahlia

Can anyone resist the charm of a dahlia? They make an excellent cut flower, with their beautiful heads lasting often until November. They are tender perennials, so you should lift the tubers over winter and store them in a frost-free environment.

Kniphofia

If you’re looking for a bit of drama in autumn, have a look at kniphofia. Even their common name is dramatic – red hot pokers! We can see why, because this perennial delivers exotic-looking and colourful flowers that certainly make for a striking garden plant.

Winter perennial plants

Hellebores

If you need a plant that will see you through winter and into spring, then it has to be hellebores. The petals on these flowers are incredibly delicate-looking and come in shades of pink, purple, green and white, with beautiful evergreen leaves.

Snowdrops

They may be small in size, but the mighty snowdrop can keep on flowering even when frost and snow are on the ground. Unmistakeable in their appearance, their dainty bell-shaped flowers are a welcome sight in gardens.