The beauty of a flower bed directly depends on a well-chosen composition of decorative flowering plants. Many gardeners prefer the formation of a flower bed from perennial flowering plants. The advantages of this method are many: perennials will delight with flowering from early spring to late autumn. In addition, they do not need to be dug out before the onset of autumn and winter cold weather, to create additional shelter for them. The article describes the most common types of perennial ornamental flowering plants that will delight the gardener all season and do not require special care.
It is not only easy to grow perennials, but also quite profitable, since their aboveground part dies off in the fall, but revives again in the spring, so there are no annual costs for the purchase of planting material.
Perennial root system
The arrival of spring warmth awakens the root system of perennial plants located underground. The first shoots begin to appear above the soil surface. It is important to know which root system can withstand the winter cold and give good strong shoots in spring.
- A root system consisting of tubers -anemones, crocuses, liliaceae.
- Rhizome -iris, lily of the valley.
- Bulbous plants - lilies, tulips and daffodils.
Most Popular Perennials That Can Withstand Winter Colds Outdoors
- Astilba is a perennial with an underground part in the form of a rhizome. The plant is unpretentious in care, easily tolerates even the most severe winters, and pleases with flowering from early summer to late autumn. With the onset of autumn cold weather, the aerial part dies off, and the rhizome remains dormant until the arrival of spring.
- Aster - a widespread perennial. It does not require special care, it grows easily and pleases with a wonderful lush flowering in any soil of nutritional value. It hibernates even without additional covering material. Asters easily grow into new areas every year.
- Anthemis is a perennial plant that grows to a height of about 30 cm. It blooms with bright yellow flowers that stand out variegly in the flower bed. It grows in the form of lush bushes. In autumn, the aerial part of the antemis dies off, and the root system goes into a dormant state, it does not need additional covering material even at low subzero temperatures. Perfectly decorates the territory of the summer cottage both in the form of a flower bed and in the form of a single planting.
- Astrantia is a perennial plant that survives well in the harsh winters of the Russian territory. It grows and blooms best in the shaded area of the garden. Astrantia is valued among gardeners for the high decorative qualities of flowers.
- Rudbeckia is a plant highly resistant to frosty winters, unpretentious in care, beautifully colored in the form of flowers of a yellow or purple hue. A tall plant, reaching a height of 180 to 210 cm. Rudbeckia is used to decorate the background of a flower bed, as well as a hedge.
- The catchment is an unpretentious perennial, of medium height, resistant to frost. The flowering period is May and June. The root system of the plant tolerates winter without additional covering material, and in the spring it lets out many new shoots.
- The golden ball is a perennial plant that is easy to care for. Forms a lush tall bush with a bright, abundant flowering. The height of the bush reaches about 2 m. Suitable for decorating fences and walls of buildings, and can also be used for hedges.
- Iris - is a herbaceous perennial plant. The iris rhizome can branch and grow strongly. Easily tolerates winter cold under a layer of soil and snow. Blooms from May to mid-July. Flowers have high decorative characteristics and a unique aroma.
- Lupine - unpretentious perennial to care for, which can easily decorate the infertile areas of the garden. The aboveground part dies off with the onset of autumn cold weather, and the rhizome tolerates winter well under a layer of soil.
- Tulip - the first heralds the final victory of spring over winter. Tulip bulbs winter well outdoors and do not need to be dug out. But if winter comes with little snow and frosty, then a section of soil with flower bulbs will require additional covering material.
- Daylilies are a perennial that grows in the form of a bush. Shows good growth and flowering even in shaded areas. Daylilies are most suitable for creating borders. The plant does not require special care, but it will show the most lush flowering when it is regularly fed with complex mineral fertilizers.
Basic rules for caring for perennials
Although perennials are unpretentious to care for, they require some preparation for the winter cold, which consists mainly in removing the upper dead part and sheltering the rhizomes or bulbs under the substrate layer.
If winter is expected to be frosty and without high snow cover, then perennial plants can be seriously damaged or even killed. Therefore, in late autumn, when subzero temperatures are established at night, the soil area in which the underground part of the plant is located is covered with special material or improvised means. Leaves, peat, spruce branches, humus, sawdust can be used as a covering material.
Especially those plants that were planted on the site for the first year need a good covering material. Perennials are recommended to be replanted only once every few years. They should grow well and show lush flowering, and too frequent transplanting will lead to the fact that the plant will throw all its strength to take root in a new place.
Perennials with a creeping stem and the same root system are recommended to be replanted once every 10 years. Such a rarity of transplantation is due to the fact that plants with a creeping stem do not tolerate the very process of moving from place to place.
Perennials, being in the same area for several years in a row, need regular fertilization. Both mineral and organic fertilizers are suitable. The first fertilization is carried out before direct planting of the perennial in the ground. The plant is fed only after abundant watering.
Knowing all the features of keeping perennial plants in the open field, you can create a stunningly beautiful flower bed that will delight with flowering not a single season in a row. In addition, perennials are unpretentious both to care and to climatic conditions.
