Revisiting Annuals vs. Perennials
Get Inspired Week 79
“Flowers are like friends; they bring color to your world.” — Unknown
Thanks for reading Get Inspired! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
While we are all planning and preparing, I wanted to go back to the basics and review an important topic that comes up over and over again. It’s one of my most asked questions and it is the key to the most common request. When I do my consultations, almost everyone at one point goes, “Now what are the ones that come back every year? Me, perennials. Yeah, I want only THOSE.”
The dream garden wish list
Every client wants a garden that blooms from early spring through fall. They want a variety of flowers that peak at different times and colors that pop for three straight seasons. AND they want it to come back year after year with minimal effort. It’s a lot to ask for, but it can be done if you use a mix of perennials AND annuals.
The key to nonstop color all season
When planning a garden, I suggest choosing 85%-90% perennials and 10%-15% annuals. Planting both, and carefully selecting the right plants for your zone, will produce a parade of color from April through October. Before choosing your favorites, it’s important to understand the differences between them.
Perennials: the bones of the garden
Perennials return every year. Their blooms typically last a few weeks, but there are some varieties that last for months. It can take a few years for some perennials to reach their full potential (which is often pictured on the tag when you purchase them), but your patience will definitely be rewarded. They are low maintenance since they don’t need to be cleared out at the end of the season or replanted year after year. Some perennials only last 3-5 years, but others can last a lifetime.
My favorite perennial for early spring is woodland phlox.
Annuals: the magic of the garden
Annuals have one life cycle, meaning they won’t return each year. But—they bring the magic to any garden. Annuals produce many more flowers than perennials and bloom for a much longer period of time.
How to get that dreaminess in early spring
If you aren’t planting annuals in early spring, you are missing out on some of the dreamiest flowers. Early spring gardens can feel bare since very few perennials bloom before April. So if you want color when spring emerges, your best bet is planting annuals. Most clients say, “But I don’t want to plant them every year and every season.” Well, if you want gardens bursting with color for more than half the year, annuals are truly your best option. Perennials bloom in different cycles and take years to fill in. Just spend a few hours each season—annuals are easy to plant since they tend to be smaller and have shallow root systems.
Some of my favorites for early spring are pansies, snapdragons, and African daisies.
It takes a little planning to get the garden of your dreams, but identifying the gaps and tucking in annuals as needed will create a colorful show for months on end.
Keep on planning and dreaming!
Laura
Looking for more garden design inspiration? Check out our all-online, go-at-your-own-pace course: Designing Luxurious Gardens and Containers: The Inspired Garden Masterclass. With new garden and container designs dropping each season, we can help you achieve the garden of your dreams in 2025 and beyond. Join us today and learn how to design like the pros!