Beginner gardener? You can't go wrong with these 8 perennials
There are people who consider themselves to have "brown thumbs", but it's probably just a matter of being poorly informed. Sometimes, we can be taken in by the beauty of some plant we see in a shop, in a neighbors' garden, on the internet, etc... but without knowing much about it at all. But obviously, this knowledge is vital.
For this reason, when you don't have much experience, it's best to cultivate robust plants: this is where perennial herbaceous plants enter the scene. Below we indicate some to keep in mind for decorating your vases, flower beds and even areas of the garden.
Echinacea
From early summer until early autumn, this plant produces beautiful blooms. There are many species, some even with double flowers and irresistible colors. They're also loved by pollinating insects, so they're good for the environment too.
They need lots of sun, and will flower a little less when placed in partial shade. Their soil must be well-draining. As for temperatures, it has a really wide range of resistance: this goes from -10° up to 30°C and even a bit beyond!
Rudbeckia
Another flower loved by bees and butterflies, the rudbeckia is very drought-resistant . If you have a sunny garden, try growing this plant. It will fill up your green space with tall flowers, similar to large daisies with dark pistils and warm and cheerful yellow petals!
Always remember - for this and the other plants - that if they are grown in pots or even large planters, you will have to be more careful in checking the conditions of the soil, given that in these containers, the soil tends to heat up and dry out much quicker than open ground.
Phlox (subulata)
Do you have a patch of lawn that doesn't get used much? Well, experimenting with perennial ground cover varieties is an idea to consider. Phlox subulata is nice for covering even sloping ground, or even growing between rocks or flagstones of a garden path. It also loves the sun or light shade.
Liatris spicata
Liatris spicata produces splendid spike flowers between July and August, and has beautiful long leaves gathered in tufts. Loved by bees and butterflies, it's great for adding a vertical plant that stands taller than other lower bushes. Like the other plants listed so far, it likes well-draining, rich soil and prefers full sunshine to partial shade.
Hemerocallis
If you like lilies, you will probably love these plants too: in spring, the tufts of leaves appear which become longer and more tapered, and then give a beautiful flowering in summer. They are also successfully grown in pots, provided that the soil is rich and well-draining, and if they are exposed to the sun for most of the day.
False indigo (Baptisia australis)
Baptisia adapts well to various soil types but loves the sun. It is a leguminacea with delicate indigo-colored flowers (the reason for its common name), and it is a wild flower that can also be successfully grown at home.
One notable thing: it resists extreme cold, even up to -20°C!
Yarrow
Yarrow loves the sun, even if during sunny periods it is best to have some shade during the hottest hours of the day. It even manages to grow in sandy or clayey soils, demonstrating its robustness. The important thing is that there is no overwatering.
The flowers show themselves from the end of summer, and are rich in nectar for bees and other pollinators!
Eupatorium
Want to fill a sunny flowerbed with something tall? The grassy stems of this plant reach over one and a half meters high, but then disappear in autumn. The flowers are very delicate and umbrella-shaped, appear in summer and remain until autumn. This beautiful plant lends itself to cultivation in open ground as well as in pots.
Which of these perennials do you like best?
