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Retail Information  »   Perennial Gardening Guide  »  

Where can/should I use perennials?

Perennial plants can be used in many areas for a multitude of different purposes. Traditionally they have been used in flower beds, borders, cutting gardens, and to highlight special places in the landscape. They may also be used to line walkways, to fill in bare corners, to stabilize banks, to cover the soil between trees and shrubs or to cover bulb beds creating interest even when the flowers have faded.  They may also serve as groundcovers, providing an interesting alternative to turf in sunny areas and many grow happily in shade where grass does not grow well. Many of them are great for filling in between stepping stones and pavers, or tucked into stone walls and crevices.

In addition to planting in the ground, many perennial plants are also suitable for use in containers.  They can be used as specimens, grown in interesting vignettes, or combined with annuals, small trees, and shrubs.

Because of their huge variety of sizes, shapes, colors, forms, and growing conditions, there is a perennial plant for almost any place in the landscape.

  • Flowerbeds
  • Deck/Porch containers
  • Groundcovers as backdrops
  • Vines on trellises or fences
  • Herb gardens