Jayne Anthony Garden Design

Perennials

What is a Perennial?
Botanically, perennials should really be called ‘herbaceous perennials' as the parts of the plant above the ground die down whilst the roots live for three years or more.
Some perennials are useful in having evergreen leaves so provide interest in the Winter.

How can perennials be used in the garden?
Perennials can be used in a purely ‘herbaceous' border i.e. one which contains only herbaceous perennials, but are mostly commonly combined with shrubs, trees, bulbs and other plant types to create a mixed border.

There is a wide range of perennials in terms of height, form, colour, texture, season of interest and scent.

The best planting schemes, in my opinion, offer a contrast of height, form, texture and season with careful attention paid to colour combination. Planting schemes can be based around a colour scheme e.g. hot colours or cool colours depending on the effect you want to create.

Scented perennials should be positioned next to doorways, paths and seating areas.

Examples of perennials

Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert' is a late summer flowering perennial with beautiful white flowers. It prefers some shade if the soil is not kept moist. In the right conditions it will spread so only plant it if there is enough space for it to do so. It is difficult to eradicate if you change your mind!		Aster x frikartii ‘Monch' is a pretty late summer flowering perennial with lavender blue daisy shaped flowers with yellow centres. If you cut them down by half in May they will grow more dense and shorter so you should not need to stake them.
Astrantia flowers in early summer and is a pretty plant for a shady, moist border.		Dicentra spectabilis flowers in spring with pink/white flowers that hang down like pendants. It prefers a shady spot.
Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus' is a late summer flowering perennial with pink wide daisy like flowers with orange/red centres. It likes a sunny spot.		Epimedium x perralchicum 'Frohnleiten' is a good evergreen perennial for a shady spot. It has pretty yellow flowers in spring and attractive green/bronze foliage.
Geranium ‘Johnson's Blue' has lilac flowers in early summer. It is good for the front of a border or hanging over a raised bed. If you cut it back after the first flush of flowers, it will reward you with re-growth and a second flush of flowers later in the year.		Helleborus niger is perfect for brightening up a garden in winter. It flowers from January to April and looks good planted in groups in a shady spot. You need to cut the leaves down in winter as the buds emerge.
Hostas come in many shapes and sizes from very small to enormous with large leathery leaves covering a metre or more. They need moist shade to do well and you need to be prepared to defend them against slugs.		Gillenia trifoliata has masses of pretty white star shaped flowers in midsummer. The foliage turns a lovely red colour in the autumn. It likes a partly shaded spot.
Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Firetail' is a large perennial with red flower spikes in late summer. It likes moist soil in sun or partial shade.		Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht' is a pretty plant for the middle of a sunny border or in dappled shade. It bears purple flower spikes in summer.