We get asked all the time whether to plant annuals or perennials in your flower beds. This is a great question and really comes down to the personal preference of the homeowner. Are you looking for instant long lasting color in your flower beds or pots? Do you prefer an array of different blooms at various times throughout the season?
Perennial gardeners will insist that nothing can beat the combination of perennials to give your home season long color. Perennials have the benefit for blooming year after year. A one time purchase can bring you many years of enjoyable flowers. The downside to many perennials is that they only bloom at certain times during the season. Some have long lasting blooms like catmint and shasta daisy but others like iberis and creeping phlox only bloom for a three to four week period in the spring.
Perennials can be very diverse as many can tolerate shadier areas like hosta, ferns and astilbe. Others such as coreopsis and veronica and loosestrife can be planted in full sun. Some perennials require delicate care and require water weekly in order to survive as well as monthly pruning to rejuvenate flowers. Others will perform just as well in the hottest and most drought tolerant conditions.
Annuals by contrast only live for one growing season in Columbus, Ohio. Typically, annual flowers are planted around Mother’s Day to make sure they do not suffer from a late frost. The many colors of annual flowers can be outstanding and will stand out amongst other plants. Some annuals are very showy with large flowers beautiful flowers with deep green foliage such as hibiscus and cannas. Others just act as a filler plant to help fill voids and bring contrast to the display.
What makes annuals so appealing is that they bring summer long displays, only growing larger over the course of the season. Annuals flowers can also be rotated year after year so you can enjoy a completely different arrangement each year. One of the most unfortunate qualities of annuals is that most vibrant flowers prefer full sun. There are many coleus, begonias and impatiens that do very well in shadier areas but for the most part you are confined to a few different plants. The other downside for those wanting less maintenance is that annuals prefer weekly watering and fertilizer will droop if not on a regular watering cycle.
Which plant is best suited for you? It really depends on what you prefer. Do you like less maintenance in perennials? Do you enjoy getting out and watering your annuals throughout the week? Maybe a combination of perennials and annuals would suit you best. Whichever you prefer you are sure to have great color and flowers to beautify your home.
