According to the dictionary, the word perennial means lasting or active through the year or many years. And, that is what I like about flower gardening with perennials. You plant them once and they come back faithfully every year. Perennial gardening can provide your landscape with many years of flowers, shrubbery, foliage and lots of color.

With perennials you can create a stunning flower garden just by planting lots of different plants of multiple colors. There are no set rules when gardening with perennials and these are ideal for borders, along a fence or against a wall near shrubs or evergreens.

After you decide where you want to plant some flowers, place different varieties of perennials in groups. I normally use tall perennials at the back of a wall in the garden or in the middle of an island bed and follow by planting shorter one towards the outside and low border plants at the edge of the bed. To do this, be sure to choose plants of various colors, bloom period, heights and sun/shade requirements.

Most perennials require lots of sun but shade loving ones such as ferns, hostas and bleeding hearts need to be planted in a filtered shaded area. What I love about perennials is that they require less maintenance than annual plants. To minimize disease problems, give perennials adequate space where there is air circulation.

Good rich soil and mulching are very important when planting a perennial garden. Soil should provide good drainage and aeration. Mulch should be applied in early summer to established plants to conserve soil moisture during the hot days of summer. If you live in an area with sandy soil, apply several inches of organic matter such as manure, peat moss or compost to the soil surface and work into the top at least ten inches. Soil to plant perennials should also be rich in Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.

Did I mention that perennials multiply? After a growing season, you can divide some perennials to prevent over crowding. If you have spring and early summer blooming perennials like peonies and poppies, you can divide them in the fall. Mid to late summer and fall flowering perennials such as chrysanthemums and asters should be divided in the spring. But, iris and daylilies can be divided right after flowering. Either way, you can enjoy beautiful columbines in the spring, peonies in early summer, delphiniums in mid-summer and black-eyed susans in late summer all in the same bed!

Just remember that you don’t have to be an expert gardener to have a beautiful perennial garden. Most perennials are easy to grow with minimal upkeep in the form of watering and fertilizing. Perennial gardening has been a passion for many people because you don’t need to buy new plants each year. It does not matter whether your garden is large or smal because you can always find a wide variety of easy to grow perennial plants.

To your beautiful garden,

Diana

Did you know that the modern age of rose gardening occurred when Jean-Baptiste Guillot produced a new class of rose in 1867? Since then, rose gardening has become an all time favorite hobby for lots of gardeners around the world.

Most people would have you believe that rose gardening is difficult. And, I am here to tell you that it is not. I find rose gardening easier to do than other flowers. Why? Because you plant your rose bushes once and with a little care, you will have beautiful roses for many years to come. Nothing is more beautiful than a rose garden in full bloom!

To get you started with your rose garden, remember that good soil is key in order to have healthy beautiful roses. It has been said that Soil Syrup is the answer for most soil problems. It can be applied directly to the plant or sprayed-on to condition your rose garden. This will improve that pH level so that Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium and trace minerals are made available to your roses. Also, the soil should be well drained but hold some moisture to prevent the roots from drying out completely.

When you are done conditioning the soil, begin planting your roses and be sure to read and follow the instructions given with each rose bush. Gently remove the rose bush from its container and place it in the area that you want to plant it. Cover the hole with soil and gently press the soil down around the rose bush. Water your roses regularly for the first two months until they take hold and are fully established. I prefer to water roses in the morning.

Roses love sun, so it is best to plant them in a sunny area. I also feed the roses in the spring and mid-summer with systemic rose food. One of the best in the market is Bayer 3 in 1 Systemic Rose food. Just follow the instructions given and your roses will stay healthy and beautiful for many years.

Rose gardening is not difficult and when in doubt, do a little research to get answers to your questions. With a little work and perseverance, you can create your dream rose garden.

To your dream rose garden,

Diana