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.
If you love gardening, you'll enjoy planting perennials for average soil. Many perennial flowers grow in average soil. In this article, we'll give you the list of average soil perennials, broken down by color. See more »
Any plant with an underground storage organ is referred to as a bulb. There are many categories, with different names for different structures. There are true bulbs, corms, and tubers. Learn about perennial bulbs.
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Perennial flowers bloom year after year, without the need to replant. Learn the best perennials to plant in your garden. Read about the different types of perennial flowers, and which ones are best for you.
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Perennial grasses and foliage are an excellent choice for an unusual ground cover. Learn about ornamental perennial grasses and foliage you can use to add interest and beauty to your garden.
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Herbs are useful for cooking, crafting, and decorating -- boldly coming out of the garden and into your home. Learn more about planting and growing perennial herbs such as lavender and rosemary.
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Perennial lupine has fingerlike gray-green leaves. Relatively easy to care for, they make a spectacular sight when planted in large groups. Read about using perennial lupine, particularly in a seaside garden.
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Perennial pea vines are light green and bear sweet pealike flowers of pink, bluish-red, or white in August. They do well in any good garden soil and are perfect for ground covers and trellises.
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Perennial plants last for several growing seasons, and are a key element of any landscaping project. Learn about the different kinds of perennial plants, including flowers, herbs, grasses and foliage.
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Perennial sunflowers yellow flowers bloom late in the season. They are tall plants with simple leaves and large yellow daisylike flowers. They are easy to care for in full sun with good moist garden soil.
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Perennials are distinct from annuals in that they return year after year, eliminating the need to buy and plant flowers every spring. Perennials generally bloom only one or two seasons per year. Learn about perennials.
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When planning a garden, the height of your flowers is an important consideration. Learn to use perennials 12-24 inches high, and find the knee-high plants that will best fit your vision for a home garden.
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If you love gardening, you'll enjoy planting perennials for average soil. Many perennial flowers grow in average soil. In this article, we'll give you the list of average soil perennials, broken down by color.
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Contrary to popular belief, not all plants need a lot of light to survive. Perennials for full shade grow well without any direct sunlight. Learn about the best perennials for full shade in this article.
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No need to worry if your garden soil is wetter than average. There are a number of great-looking perennials that do best in moist soil. Learn which perennial flowers to plant in your yard.
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Many gardeners have shady spots in their yards. The areas that get a mix of light and shade are perfect for planting partial shade perennials. In this article, we'll describe great perennials for part shade.
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Perennial flowers are an essential part of any home garden, and gardeners can use height to create a dramatic effect. Learn about the perennial flowers that grow to a height over 24 inches.
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Choose shorter perennial flowers for the front of your garden to create depth in your garden design. In this article, we'll teach you which perennials stand under 12 inches tall for the perfect garden plan.
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Periwinkle flowers in the early spring. The blue 5-petaled flowers are borne on short stems. Periwinkle makes excellent ground cover and is great when planted along the edge of beds or borders.
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Persian violet is an easy-to-care-for house plant that will rebloom for three to four months. It is full of blue or white flowers and has shiny, oval leaves. Read more about this pretty rounded plant.
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Physostegia, or obedient plant, is a perennial flower that makes a great potted plant. It's named the obedient plant because of the way it holds its shape in flower bouquets. Grow this perennial.
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Pincushion flowers resemble pincushions full of pins when closed. They have simple lance-shaped deeply cut leaves will long graceful flower stems. They're best planted in drifts along the edge of beds or borders.
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