Chasing Infinite Blooms: The Secret to a Yard in Constant Motion

You have probably heard about annual and perennial plants. Which is the right choice for you? 

Annuals are the plants that use all their energy blooming like crazy from May until frost, every day, but then as soon as it gets cold, they have nothing left to give and die. Perennials come back every year. They conserve their energy to bloom for a certain period of time each year, usually lasting just a few weeks, then go dormant over the Winter, sprouting back up the next year when their time is right for another show. 

If you want the flexibility to change your mind each year, and do nothing except water throughout the season, and have continuous color without fuss, then annuals are the flowers for you! There are so many types, there is a texture and color for everyone, there are flowers that work in pots and some that are better in the ground, and ones that can do both. With constant improvements, like Petunias you don’t have to pinch, and Impatiens and Begonias for shade AND sun, annuals are often the best choice for gardeners who love lots of color.. 

Submitted photo

If you prefer to plant once and don’t mind some occasional maintenance, perennials and blooming shrubs are the answer for you! One set of plants can begin blooming when another is finishing. A few others, like Coneflowers and Hydrangeas, can overlap for months. 

There are two ways to have Perennials and blooming shrubs bring color to your yard year–round: 

1. Work with a landscape designer who can plan your garden to display what you want to see in all four seasons, so when you renovate your landscape, the plants are a variety that will bloom or display foliage at different times of the year.
2. Visit your favorite garden center every few weeks to see what is blooming at that time. Choose what you like and create your garden over time. 

When you pant at your own pace, it’s not overwhelming. This way also allows you to be flexible, as you see which plants you like best, or what they look like after they have finished blooming, and you can create different focal points. 

If you are doing things yourself, determine the amount of sunlight your area receives. Learn what type of drainage and soil you have. When you walk around a garden center, notice what catches your eye. What colors do you like? What textures or structural habits do you prefer? Which plants have pollinators visiting them? 

Put plants next to each other on your cart, or on the ground, and see how they look together. Are there color combinations that bloom at the same time and complement each other? 

Make a trip to the Garden Center and take a pleasant stroll looking for plants, and  create a garden that is uniquely yours!