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If you have visions of a Garden that just gets better with every passing year, you
are the ideal candidate for planning and planting a perennial bed.
Unlike the annual Garden that must be planted each spring, perennials bloom from the same
roots year after year. That's the good news. The rest of the story is that -- because you are
establishing a permanent Garden -- you will want to take great care in selecting and preparing its
site, as well as selecting the plants for it.
Realistically assess the size of the flower bed you can maintain and plan accordingly. Note
soil conditions, hours of sunlight per day and viewing location. You will enjoy your flowers
more if you can see them from a patio or picture window. Be sure that most of the bed receives
at least six to eight hours of sunlight each day so you can select from a wide range of plants.
Some perennial beds border a fence, while others are free standing "islands" or mounded
berms. Curved edges and asymmetrical shapes create a more informal feel. Keep in mind how far
you can reach to tend your blooms. If accessible from only one side, beds should be no wider
than four feet. An island layout can be up to eight feet wide. Use a Garden hose to outline
possible shapes. And, when selecting a Garden site, remember that perennials do not compete
well with tree roots for nutrients and water.
Once you decide on the general shape of the Garden, plan it on graph paper. Include other
landscaping features. Be flexible and patient and consider issues that will have a bearing on the
success of your Garden such as microclimates. Note areas that get the most sun, that drain well
(or poorly) and receive the strongest winds. Select plants that will do best in these areas.
Decide on a color scheme and consult books that categorize perennial plants by hue.
Consider bloom periods to ensure continuous flowering throughout the season. August, for
example, is a particularly sparse month for perennials, although rudbeckia and scabiosa are
prolific then.
Keep in mind plant height and texture. You want to create a flowing, natural feel, so group
several perennials together in clumps. Consider including an edging plant, such as alyssum
(which reseeds easily) to better define the contours of your bed. Use brilliant blooms and tall
spike-like plants sparingly, as accents to your basic scheme.
Heed spacing recommendations when deciding about the number of plants of each variety to
purchase. Don't overcrowd the bed when beginning; this will create additional work later when
overgrown plants must be thinned. You can plant dwarf, intermediate and tall perennials 6 to 12
inches, 12 to 18 inches and 18 to 36 inches apart, respectively. Until the plants grow to full size,
you always can add a few annuals to fill in next spring. You also can remedy mistakes next
season.
With planning complete, you are ready to prepare the soil and plant. Add plenty of organic
matter, such as peat, leaf mold or aged compost, to loosen clay soils and improve water retention
in sandy plots. Work the new materials into the top 10 to 12 inches of soil. To promote vigorous
blooms and roots, add one pound of phosphate fertilizer or bone meal per 100 square feet of area.
Select hardy specimens and store in a cool, shady place until you are ready to plant. Remove
the root ball from the plastic container and loosen it slightly to create better root contact with the
bedding soil. Work the soil in the area and set the perennial at the same level as it was planted in
the container. Refill the hole gently and water immediately. Check periodically to see that a
crevice between the root ball and surrounding soil does not appear. If it does, cultivate lightly
and re-water to unite the two.
For more information on Gardening, contact your
local Colorado State University Extension office.
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