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Annuals Perennials: MANY BIENNIALS flower in early and midsummer, thus usefully filling an awkward gap that can occur between the spring and summer flowers. Like annuals perennials, they are temporary plants which should be pulled up and put on the compost pile when they have finished flowering. Also, as with annuals perennials, though it's easy enough to save seed of most kinds it is usually impossible to prevent cross-fertilization of different varieties, as a result of which home-saved seed produces only a mongrel population. The distinction between annuals perennials, biennials and herbaceous perennials is not always clear-cut since sometimes varieties of one group can be treated as if they belonged to one of the other groups; hollyhocks (Alcea), for example, can be grown as annuals perennials, biennials or short-lived perennials. However, to be sure of a regular succession of biennials it is necessary to sow seed every year at the correct season.
Even if summer color is desired, it is still possible to underplant and interplant for other times of the year using bulbs and annuals perennials.
Bulbs and annuals perennials are invaluable for spring and early summer color, while herbaceous perennials are the most colorful summer contributors. In many places herbaceous perennials can be found in flower for most of the year, and by planting a good cross section it is possible to get a long flowering season.
The wonderful thing about gardening is that you are free to create as you wish. Lovers of shrubs can establish a shrub border, while wonderful spot beds can be made with annuals perennials; and roses can be really spectacular when they are grouped together. But surely the most interesting sight of all in the backyard must be the flower border that provides a little bit of everything—annuals perennials, perennials, shrubs, bulbs and roses. |
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