Eco-gardening is at its best in The Monday Garden
May 25, 2003, issue 61
An annual garden must be started over each May and only looks really good July to September. Instead, why not have a garden which is beautiful year-round and better for the environment?
Cheerful, even in May rain, is a perennial garden extension that I started last fall from lawn-rescued buttercups and violets, divided perennials, and recycled edging stones. The out-of-pocket cost was $6 for mulch.
Correctly selected perennials require less weeding, water, and feeding than lawn and many annuals. Further, most perennials can be divided frequently, so you can inexpensively convert some lawn to garden each year.
Start small: This year, buy fewer annuals and use the rest of the money for a bag of cedar mulch, some peat, and a few "tried and true" perennials (see below). Save at least $5 for spring bulbs. Next year, you'll have the benefit of this year's perennials as "money in the bank".
Critical: Dig down 12" to 18" and mix in 1/3 peat or compost. This is work, so start small. Add the plants. (To look natural, arrange in groups, not rows). Add up to 2" mulch to control weeds and conserve moisture.
Maintenance: Weed faithfully and each year, you'll have noticeably fewer weeds. Water when the ground's dry down 1" to 2". Don't automatically cut off spent flowers or dead foliage unless it's soft (rotting). Many perennials have seeds and dried leaves that look pretty and the seeds attract songbirds.
Quick Pick: If I had to choose three hard-to-kill, long-blooming, cheap perennials, they'd be: 'Stella d'Oro' day lily, hot-pink barren strawberry, and rudbeckia (hybrid black-eyed susan). For shade, I'd choose: bleeding heart, hosta, and fern.
Easy Plants: Start with at least 3 plants with different heights and foliage that, together, flower May to October. Plants labeled for "Sun and Part Shade" are best bets; for spaces without sun from 11:00 to 2:00, get "Shade" plants. Unless your soil's naturally damp, pick plants for "Medium to Dry". Many perennials bloom "All Season" or "Mid-Summer to Fall", so skip the short bloomers (e.g "Late May"). Foliage is important; a natural garden's beauty comes from contrasting leaf color and shape, with just a touch of flower-color.
Pictured in flower are buttercups, strawberries, columbine and jonquils. Summer bloomers include day lilies, iris, hosta, daisies, and true lilies; for fall, asters and chrysanthemum. Other "sun/part shade" perennials: moonbeam coreopsis, coneflowers, guara, fall asters, coral bells, and ornamental grass. Variegated leaves add sparkle.
Photo credits: Sue Sweeney © Sue Sweeney 2003
What the readers said about last week’s The Path to a Perennial Garden and other things:
I loved your current issue -- it was so interesting and hopefully will make people willing to try to build gardens with what they have on hand. Liz (CT)
I have to agree. Aside from vegetables and herbs all my plants are perennials.… When springtime comes, it's rewarding to see what you tended to last year is peaking through this year. Lin (NY)
I totally agree with you on the Perennials. Last month, I dug up all of our Hostas and divided them, a lot of work but worth it. In doing this, I ended with more plants for the side of my garage. Also, I can't believe how the Tiger Lilies have multiplied, I was also able to transplant some to another area. Jennifer (NJ)