Perennials in the Landscape

I am a big promoter of planting perennial flowers in the landscape, especially native perennials. I look at it as time and money saved by not having to purchase and plant each year. The one drawback to perennials is that they only bloom once per year, so you need different plants if you want season long color.

Native perennials are adapted to this area, are hardy and will survive without a lot of extra care. If you are looking for native perennials it is important to look for true natives. If you drive around the county and see the infestations of pampas grass and yucca in our rangelands you will see that not all perennials are created equal.

Using native grasses like Big Bluestem, Indiangrass or Little Bluestem as accents work well in place of other ornamental varieties. After a few years growth these plants can easily be split and transplanted just by cutting in half with a shovel as they are breaking dormancy. They are also drought tolerant.

One of my favorite natives is Echinacea. Echinacea, also known as coneflower, is a perennial plant and is a popular choice for gardens due to its long blooming season and ability to attract pollinators. There are several different colors, but most are purple-ish pink.

The seed heads from echinacea are a food source for birds in the winter, they can add winter interest in the garden, or the seeds can be harvested at maturity and shared.

Other perennials I like are iris’s, day lilies, yarrow and Indian Paint brush. There are a few native perennials in the demonstration garden at the office if you would like to stop by. For more information on perennials, reach out to me at the office, 620-842-5445.