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.
The foliage and seed heads of ornamental grasses help to extend the garden season through winter. These perennials usually have feathery or plumelike flowers. Learn more about ornamental grasses for the garden. See more »
Purple coneflowers are heat-tolerent natives that grow wild from Ohio to Georgia. These easy to grow perennials have prickly, cone-shaped heads surrounded by rose-purple or white petals. Learn to grow the purple coneflower.
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Coralbells, or alumroots, are a diverse group of perennials with ornamental leaves combining green, silver, and purple tones. Coralbell has white, green, or red flowers. Learn to grow this perennial flower.
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Several coreopsis species are popular in the garden, all of them sporting bright daisylike flowers. These perennials bloom pink, orange, and yellow flowers. Learn to grow this great drought-resistant flower.
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Creeping buttercup, replete with yellow flowers and occasionally spotted leaves, originated in Europe. Some of the buttercup species are aquatic, but in general they look best in more informal gardens. Learn to grow creeping buttercup.
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Creeping fig, though thin in the stem and covered in leaves shaped like hearts, can completely hide a building wall within a few years. Learn how to use it as a backdrop or camouflage.
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Cupid's dart sprouts two-inch blue or white flowers and prefers direct sunlight with well-drained soil. Learn to use Cupid's dart as a good frontrunner in the garden or long-lasting winter cut flower.
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Cushion spurge, like the Christmas poinsettia, has colored leaves, often mistaken for petals. It comes in bright yellow, changing to red in autumn. Learn to use cushion spurge in a bank or against a wall.
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Dalmatian bellflower is an excellent flower for all kinds of rock gardens. It is easy to grow and produces bluish-purple blossoms. In this article, learn about planting, growing, propagating, and using Dalmatian bellflower.
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Each showy daylily, or everbloomer, flower opens, matures, and withers within 24 hours. These perennials are great container plants that prefer partial shade, especially in the South. Learn how to care for the daylily.
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Dead nettles, a non-stinging nettle, has blooms that look like tiny pink or white snapdragons. Dead nettles are resistant to drought. Use dead nettle in your garden as ground cover or as an effective border.
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Delphinium, or larkspur, grows delicate, hollow stalks that become covered in flowers. As such, they should be staked or planted near protection from wind. Learn to propagate this cold-resistant blossom.
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Carnations, or pinks, have been popular perennials for hundreds of years. Dianthus are great in flower beds and bouquets. They come in red, white, orange, purple, and of course, pink. Learn how to grow dianthus.
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With dry soil, you may have trouble planting perennial flowers. In this article, we've gathered together a list of the best dry soil perennials for you to plant in your garden.
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Edelweiss has tiny heads of flowers flanked by gatherings of white, almost furry, bracts and grows to 1 foot in height. Use the softness of edelweiss to provide visual contrast in your rock garden.
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Elephant's ear is a tropical plant with large heart-shaped leaves and prominent veins. It does not flourish in cold and temperate climates, but in warm areas it is an evergreen. Learn about this perennial at HowStuffWorks.
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Low-growing foliage of great distinction and spring flowers make epimediums, also known as bishop's hat or barrenwort, a good choice. Flowers in soft colors sometimes bloom before plants leaf out. Learn about this shade-loving perennial.
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Ferns are perennials grown for their ability to thrive where less-hardy plants can't. Some are evergreen, while others die down in fall and return in spring. Learn more about versatile ferns.
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Fleabane, a lovely clustered flower in the daisy family, grows atop stems over a foot tall. Learn to use this visually appealing flower among several types of plants in the garden or in a vase.
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Foxgloves are garden classic perennials whose large bell-shaped flowers are perfect for mass plantings. These tall plants bloom at about the same time as roses. Learn more about this foxy flower.
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Full sun perennials are flowers that need direct sun for at least six to eight hours a day. On this page, we list the full sun perennials by color and type to suit your garden.
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