Perennials: Perennial Gardens
Hardy Perennials for a great Perennial Garden
While many annual plants are started in nurseries, hardy perennials are grown frequently on perennial farms. The difference between a nursery and a perennial farm is that a nursery typically grows plants indoors under controlled conditions.
Perennial farms grow hardy perennials outdoors and
generally are precise in indicating how long a particular species of plant
has been grown at the farm. In this way, perennial farms prove that the
hardy perennials they grow for sale will survive local conditions
year-round.
When you go out of these plants at either a local nursery or a perennial
farm, most plants for sale will be hardy in your area. However, when you buy online or by catalog, it’s necessary first to know
what hardiness zone you live in. The term hardiness is often used
erroneously to mean winter-hardiness only. Actually, hardiness is a plant’s
ability to survive year-round. Frequently, plants that are winter-hardy in
one zone, will not survive summer conditions in another zone.
Aside from variations in temperature, formulating zones for hardy perennials
includes other variables such as snow depth and rainfall. Hardiness zones
indicate probabilities of plant survival under broad conditions. Extremes in
weather, differences in local topography, and gardening practices such as
mulching can also have an impact on whether or not a plant will be hardy to
your location.
Variables considered by the USDA in drawing its plant hardiness zone map
include day length, radiation, temperature, frost, heat, rainfall, and ph.
Find detailed explanations of these factors and download the USDA plant
hardiness zone map at:
hardiness zones USA
If you live outside the US, you may be able to find a zone map for your
area at: hardiness
zones outside the USA
A perennial garden plan may incorporate plants that are hardy one zone away
if they are afforded protection during extremes in temperature. Flowering
plants that aren’t winter hardy perennials can also be grown outside of
their zone if stored over winter in a sufficiently warm place.
yOf course,
it’s easier to bring these plants in from out of the cold if they are grown
in a container, but many hardy perennials can be lifted and stored in
various ways. Examples of such plants are hardy mums, geraniums, and
dahlias.
However, many types of hardy perennials need a period of dormancy to thrive,
so take care to give your plants the specific type of care they need to
survive in the warmer than normal conditions they may find in your storage
area.
→ Keeping Perennials Comfortable → Finding and Planting Perennial Flowers → Perennial Flowering Herbs & Edible Flowers -->hardy perennials
As the season grows, you'll find more and more detailed information about perennials sown throughout Gardening Guides. Learn all about bulbs, perennial seeds, and take a trip to a perennial farm. Check out our perennial garden plans and learn about shade-loving perennials.
Learn how to grow some of our favorite perennial flowers:
More about perennials:
Visit our own Gardeners Store it has all you need
- All About Bulbs | PDF
- Daffodils, Tulips, & Narcissus
- Dutch Flower Bulbs
- Perennial Gardens | PDF
- Perennial Herbs
- Shady Perennials
Check Plants A to Z for information on how to grow all of your favorite cultivars!