2009 Garden Perennials, Landscaping Border and Easy Landscaping Ideas

Isn't the above quote so true? How many times have I been disappointed with my garden perennials...I certainly had issues with the 2009 growing season.

• horrible spring frosts that kill so many annuals and freeze the buds off my lilies (even though I cover them)

• ordering sterilized soil only to find it contaminated with weed seeds

• purchasing perennials, only to have them infested with some form of 'bug' (like the white stripped flea beetle)

• a golden elder reduced to a folded mess after an ' elder borer' ate the entire stems insides.

UPDATE 2010: The Golden Elder survived, albeit the nasty elder borer was still active, I am managing to control this bug by:

• in the spring spraying the soil surrounding the garden shrub with insecticidal soap as this border over-winters in the soil

• checking the plant leaves on a regular basis. Watch for the wilting of the leaves and the tiny black entrace hole on the stem. The border will be working hard inside the stem eating away at the flesh

• snap off the stem at the hole. This will stop the border from going any further. Spray the inside of the remaining stem with the soap

So as not be be repetitive on this garden perennials page, you can find great information, definitions, soil admendments and much more on:

My Perennials for 2008 Gardening Season Page.

However, because most garden perennials have a certain bloom time and cost more than annual plants, the following tips are worth repeating:

• consider the foliage: will you like looking at the foliage once the bloom time is over?

• consider the varying foliage: some perennial plants have interesting and variegated foliage adding interest to any flowerbed garden border.

• consider your environment/soil type. No sense buying a plant you may love, but won't survive in your area.

• bloom time: if you plant perennials that bloom at the same time, you will wind up with a colorless flowerbed at some point. Inter-mix bloom times. Read the tags.

• remember plant supports: a common mistake is not inserting plant supports early. For instance: if you are planting a Peony, make sure to include the support ring. Or if you are planting Delphiniums or any other taller garden perennials, include the stake. It is very difficult to add supports once the plants have grown to their maximum width or height. You can do damage to the roots by inserting the supports later.

• groupings: plant in three's or five's. This gives your flowerbed a unified (tied together) look. It doesn't have to be exactly the same plant, but of the same species family. For instance: the Coresposis Moonbeam planted with the Coreopsis Zagreb.

• never stop checking your perennials: (underside of leaves, buds or new leaves) for unwanted pests, like aphids.

• buy your plants as they are coming into bud or flowering. Less stress for the plants.

• record your perennial plantings: I mention this in on my gardening tips page. Record a video, keep the plants tags in a shoe box or album or simply take pictures and write down the plant names.

Listed below are the garden perennials that I planted for the 2009 Gardening Season:

Athyrium Ghost Fern
Brunnera
Bellflower Cherry Bells
Coneflower Meringue
Coral Bells Harvest Burgundy
Coral Bells Georgia Peach
Dianthus Flashing Light
Pink Coneflower
Forget Me Not Victoria Rose
Geranium Rozanne
Hens and Chicks
Hydrangea Quick Fire
Phlox Rubymine
Little Joe Pye Weed
Lamium Golden anniversary
Ligularia Rocket
Liatris Blazing Star
Living Carpets
Loosestrife Yellow
Golden Variegated Sweet Flag Ogon Grass
Palm Sedge
Phlox David
Phlox Rubymine
Hardy Plumbago
Russian Sage
Salvina Eveline Sage
Scabiosa Butterfly Blue
Sedum Dragon's Blood
Sedum Kamschatka
Spiderwort Sweet Kate
Thrift Dusseldorf

Image of my south flowerbed taken September 1, 2009

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