Select and Care for Annuals and Perennials

Perennials return for many years. In contrast, annuals don't grow back after completing their life cycle. 

Perennials 

Some perennial plants take more than one season to mature. At maturity, perennials will produce fruit, flowers and seeds. There are two types of perennial plants:

• Herbaceous perennials die to the ground after each growing season and grow back each spring (i.e., lavender, forsythia, hyacinth, snapdragon and Easter lily).
• Woody perennials survive season to season. They enter dormancy in colder climates. Some varieties shed their leaves but evergreens don't (i.e., trees and shrubs).

Annuals

These plants complete their life cycle in one season (they germinate, flower, produce seed and die). Some annual plants grow back from dropped seed, but typically you must replace them annually (a little word trick to distinguish them from perennials). The list of annuals is long, but some examples include geraniums, impatiens, zinnias, marigolds, petunias and pansies.

Biennials

Biennials have a life cycle spanning two years. During year one, the plant germinates and grows. The second year it flowers, produces seeds and dies. Examples include foxglove, black-eyed Susan and hollyhock.

Explore the possibilities of any space, and plant your perennials or annuals on any scale, large or small. With a little planning, you’ll have many seasons’ worth of gardening enjoyment ahead of you. Lay out the design of your flower bed before purchasing plants. Also check your local zoning.

You need to consider several things: 

Color: Use colors that complement each other and your home. Colors are either warm or cool, depending upon the hue. Red and yellow are warm. White, blue and violet are cool colors. Complementary colors (violet and yellow, blue and orange, red and green) tend to intensify each other. Plant neutral or muted hues between brilliant colors to prevent clashes and to make the brighter colors more prominent. A color scheme that combines warm and cool colors or intense hues and paler tints will create visual movement in the garden. When choosing colors also look at bloom times. Combining plants that flower at different times ensures a full season of color.

Size and Texture: Use contrasting heights and plant shapes to add even more dimension to the flower bed. Don't forget foliage plants; some of your best choices may not have blooms at all. Remember to follow the tall-to-small rule: Plant smaller, more delicate plants in the front and larger, sturdier plants in the back.

Fragrance: Keep aroma in mind when choosing bedding plants. Some fragrant annual examples include stock, four-o’clock, petunia and sweet alyssum; perennials include peony, bee balm and phlox.

Sun or Shade: Choose your bedding plants according to the amount of natural sunlight available. From full sun (six to eight hours a day) to dense shade (practically no sun), you still have planting options. However, remember that most flowering plants need a lot of sunshine.

Use perennials as the "permanent" framework for the flower bed. Get ideas by looking at 10 Easy Perennials Anyone Can Grow. Experiment with different combinations of annuals each season. Start by looking at our Annuals Buying Guide. Add containers planted with annuals to the flower bed for movable color and accent. The containers can also fill in bare areas until transplants naturally fill in. See our Container Garden Ideas for inspiration.

Use foliage plants. Many leaves offer shades of gray, blue, silver or gold. Color contrasts among foliage are often as striking as those among flowers and they last longer. See some examples with our article Dividing Hostas and Other Perennials.

Whether woody or herbaceous, many perennial varieties are known to be very tall, so sometimes the sheer size and weight of the plant makes it top-heavy. Some examples include black-eyed Susan, peony, delphinium and coreopsis. When planted too tightly in groups, some perennials become leggy when seeking the sun.

There are some options and solutions that allow you to enjoy these perennials to their fullest.

• Dwarf varieties are available in many species, offering the qualities you want without the height.
• Plant taller varieties in the back or center of the bed.
• Plant them among shorter, stouter plants against a wall or fence.
• Stake perennials before they get too big to avoid damaging the plant. Let them grow into their support system.
• Support them with bamboo, plastic stakes, decorative wire stakes or even sticks. You can also use yard art for a plant prop.
• Use ties that won't harm the stems. Coated wire, plastic plant ties, and hook and loop fasteners are inconspicuous and work well.  
• Consider planting varieties less than 30 inches tall if you live in a windy area.

Tall perennials offer so much presence in a garden. Stake them well to make sure they receive the attention they deserve. Learn more by watching our video How to Stake Perennials . You'll find all the staking supplies you need at your Lowe’s garden center.