Have you ever gone into a home and garden store and walked up and down the aisles determined to find some plants to put in your yard? If so, then you know how many choices stare you in the face. Sure, there are the easy decisions to make like what colors you would like, how big you want them to be and what kind of leaves you'd like to feature. But what about the more difficult decisions: Which plants are best for the region I live in? Which plants would live best in the shade and which in the sun? And exactly what is the difference between perennials and annuals? What do those terms even mean?
It can be an incredibly daunting task, but one that can be made easier with the help of HowStuffWorks. By definition, a perennial is a plant that lives longer than two years. It blooms in the spring and summer, and then it dies again every fall and winter. Then again in the spring, the blooms come out to greet the warmth and sunshine. While perennials have to live longer than two years to qualify as one, some have been known to live as much as 3,000 years. Now you won't be around that long to see if your plant thrives, but there are some things you need to know to make sure your plant has the best life possible.
Visit HowStuffWorks to wade your way through all things perennial, from which plants are considered part of the family to how to care for them properly. We'll take the guess work out of your yard, so you can spend your time digging your cares away. So get those shovels and sprinklers ready as we take a trip through perennial paradise.
The encyclopedia of perennials helps you select and care for perennials. Learn all about your favorite perennials in the encyclopedia of perennials.
Chrysanthemums are highly variable members of the daisy clan, numbering more than 200 species of ornamental plants. This perennial's leaves are typically divided and aromatic. Find out more about chrysanthemums. See more »
The Agapanthus, Lily of the Nile, is a perennial flower that has gorgeous blue or white florets arranged in large globes for a wonderful addition to the garden. Learn about agapanthus.
See more »
Alstroemerias, or lilies of Peru, are lilylike perennials with trumpet-shaped flowers. Flowers come in pink, rose, purple, yellow, cream, orange, and white and are great in garden containers and flowerbeds. Learn about these showy flowers.
See more »
Amsonia, or bluestars, are popular garden plants, and they grow wild in wooded areas and on river banks from New Jersey to Tennessee to Texas. Learn more about this easy-to-grow perennial.
See more »
The Japanese anemone's name comes from the Greek word for wind. Its showy flowers can reach a height of four to five feet. Find out more about this poppylike perennial.
See more »
Aster, or michaelmas daisy, is a North American flower that grows in wayside places with no care at all. You'll find garden asters in many sizes and colors. Find out about these perennial flowers.
See more »
Beautiful perennials for the garden, the astilbes, or garden spireas, available today are usually the result of hybridization. Color may be white, pink, lavender, or cranberry. Learn how to grow this versatile flower.
See more »
Avena grass, or blue oat grass, has yellow flower spikes in summer and silvery blue leaves. This interesting plant makes a fine structural accent and will thrive in a dry, sunny area. Learn more about this distinctive plant.
See more »
Avens, a member of the rose family, sprouts brilliant blooms appropriate as garden borders or in front of rocks. Easy to grow, avens prefers cool summers. Learn more about avens at How Stuff Works.
See more »
The unopened flowers of platycodons resemble hot-air balloons, for which they are named. The buds of these perennials open to bell-shaped flowers in pink, blue, and white. Learn about the balloon flower.
See more »
A beautiful perennial all season long, baptisia, also known as false indigo or wild indigo, was originally planted to produce blue dye for early American colonists. Learn how to care for this beautiful blue flower.
See more »
Basket-of-Gold, or goldentuft, has attractive foliage that grows in dense mats, giving support to clusters of four-petaled, golden-yellow flowers floating 6 to 12 inches above the plants. Find out more about this perennial.
See more »
Bergamot are hardy perennials considered garden favorites for decades. Sturdy stems are topped by crowns studded with lipped flowers. Find out more about these flowers, beloved by butterflies and hummingbirds.
See more »
Bergenias, or pigsqueaks, grow thick, rounded evergreen leaves, often a foot long, and its white waxy or pink flowers bloom in drooping clusters. Learn more about these cold weather flowers.
See more »
Big blue lily turf looks like grass but is a member of the lily family. Growing well in sun or shade, flowers bloom in dark blue or violet. Learn more about this great ground cover.
See more »
Black cohosh, a towering 8-foot perennial, provides summertime shade and works well as a 'starry" backdrop for gardens when in bloom. Learn more about black cohosh and garden perennials in this article.
See more »
Blackberry lily or leopard lily is a perennial flower that adds bright color in cuttings and floral arrangements or in the garden. In this article, learn about planting, growing, propagating, and using blackberry lily.
See more »
Bleeding heart, a poetically named perennial flower, has heart-shaped pendant pink or white flowers with spurs at the base and attractive fernlike foliage. Find out about this garden favorite member of Dicentra.
See more »
Some gardens offer a quiet escape from the stimulation of modern life. These latter gardens use blue and purple to create a peaceful atmosphere. Learn how blue to purple perennial flowers cool down your garden.
See more »
Bluestar, also known as blue dogbane or blue star-of-Texas, sprouts blue flowers atop 2- to 3-foot stems which turn gold in autumn. Use bluestars to add visual appeal along or inside your garden.
See more »
Boltonias resemble asters, with narrow leaves and dozens of white flowers in clusters. A well-situated boltonia will be covered with bloom from late summer into fall. Learn more about this sturdy perennial.
See more »
