Home gardening is not only therapeutic, but beautiful landscape adds to your property’s curb appeal. Many homeowners enjoy creating flowerbeds and gardens as hobbies, while others simply love the look that plants bring to their outdoor spaces. Successfully growing flowers can be wrought with challenges, and many homeowners become discouraged with how to keep their gardens looking fresh all year round.
One of the most significant errors people make when it comes to their landscape is choosing the wrong flowers and plants. This mistake sets up a disaster, which leads yards to look neglected quickly. Choosing the right plants for your yard will ensure that your landscape looks lush and healthy, saving you money and time. Understanding the different types of flowers and their needs will help you make beautifully intelligent choices.
Annuals
Annuals live for just one season. These flowers are beneficial to any garden as they add pops of color that can be easily changed from year to year, creating new looks and landscape designs. Annuals are typically a less expensive yet versatile option which many people use in pots and planters on porches and decking. Some annuals are self-seeding and can grow the following year, which is essential to note when planting your garden each year.
Biennials
Biennial flowers have a growth cycle lasting two years. If you are looking for instant color, biennials are not your first choice as in the first year, these flowers grow stems but will not bloom. In the second year, the flower will bloom for the season then die. Biennials can be self-seeding depending on the type of flower and typically bloom best in more moderate climates. If you plant biennial flowers in climates with drastic seasonal changes, their life cycle will more closely resemble that of annuals.
Perennials
Perennials are helpful for homeowners who choose to keep the look of their flowerbeds consistent over time. These flowers grow year after year up to at least three years with the proper care. Many perennials live well past the three-year mark depending on weather conditions, which means less time and money spent on replacing plants. Some of these plants are also used as ground covers that can be used between flowers or for creating designs in landscapes. Due to their hardiness, perennials tend to be more expensive than annuals and biennials, yet considering that they don’t need to be replaced often, it can be an attractive trade-off.
When it comes to creating the landscape of your dreams, doing a little plant-based research goes a long way. Annuals, biennials, and perennials all have their specific needs and lifecycles that can benefit different areas of your property.