The Top Ten Perennials For The Lazy Gardener
 (Read 50+ times)
By Glory Lennon
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I see the problem. You are a lazy gardener and you want the garden to pretty much take care of itself. Well, Baby, I got what you need to accomplish this. It’s called perennials and no garden is complete without a few of these darlings of the flora world.
So what exactly is a perennial, you may be asking? This is a plant which is planted once, flourishes, flowers and reproduces during the growing season then goes dormant for the winter and comes back again in the spring without you doing anything. With that definition you’ll see that trees and shrubs are also perennials as are those not-so-darling dandelions in your lawn. But I’m not talking about those. For now let’s stick with the flower bed and what perennials we could use to make a garden that comes to life without you having to replant it every single year.
The following is my top ten list of perennials every garden should have.
1. Peony- A spring time favorite, the herbaceous peony has wildly fragrant flowers coming in varying shades of red, pink and white with large, fully double flower forms and single ones as well. These are long lived plants which take on an heirloom quality because, with careful dividing every five years or so they can live longer than the average gardener and can be passed on from generation to generation. Nice, wouldn’t you say, for a one time investment?
2. Shasta Daisy- This is, no doubt, the first flower you learned how to draw way back in kindergarten, the one you used to pick out in the meadows to braid together for those pretty daisy chains you wore as a crown and the flower which told you whether he/she loved you or loved you not. Besides all those nostalgic reasons to have the Daisy in your garden, you should know they bloom almost the entire summer just as long as you do some deadheading to prevent them from going to seed.
3. Daylily- There are currently more varieties of daylilies than can reasonably be counted. Colors range the entire spectrum. They can be as little as 6 inches high to a whopping 5 feet tall. They come in so many flower forms surely one of them will enchant you enough to get another and another until you become a connoisseur such as I am with a shockingly huge collection. Needless to say I love the daylily and is my first pick for the novice gardener because you can’t kill this thing regardless how clueless you are. Tell me that isn’t perfect!
4. Rudbeckia- More commonly known as the Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia is very similar to the Daisy in temperament and durability. These are great for the cutting garden as they live long in the vase. The seed also make a great treat for birds.
5. Aconitum- Also known as the Monk’s hood, this plant is 4-5 foot tall with dark blue-purple flowers which bloom very late in the season and last through several frosts, perfect for my zone 5 where the frost comes early and zaps everything before we’re ready to say goodbye to our gardens. If you need further reason to include this in your flower collection, old English folklore says Wolfbane, its other common name, fends off werewolves. I’m positive it works because I’ve yet to see one in my yard.
6. Hibiscus- Not unlike the tropical plant, the hardy Hibiscus grows to 6 feet tall and is very tolerant of swampy areas, hence its other common name the Marsh Mallow. Colors, more sedate than the tropical cousins, come in shades of pink, white and red. This has flowers 6-8 inches wide and the birds and field mice love the seeds. Makes a fantastic temporary hedge.
7. Echinacea- Purple coneflower is the common name for this plant with a protruding center and downward curling petals. Golden finches love to pluck at the seed heads for the yummy treat so leave some up through the winter for them.
8. Clematis- The queen of vines Clematis comes in so many varieties I’ll never get all of them, though I’m giving it my best shot. I’ve accumulated twenty or so and each one is different in height, flower color, form and size, how often and when it blooms.
9. Hosta- The only plant on this list who appreciates living in the shade, the Hosta also has a variety to please anyone. There are currently 20 thousand plus in all shapes, sizes and variegated color combos. Surely, even a choosy person as you are can find one you can’t live without.
10. Iris- Oh, but which to choose? Japanese, Bearded, Flag? Heck, get them all! They are oddly-shaped, lovely, some with intoxicating scents and beautiful color combinations. Can’t lose with this one.
Now that you have your list in hand you’ll be well on your way to starting the best darn perennial garden ever.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 visit http://www.helium.com/user/32782 for more amazing garden info, entertaining short stories and intriguing Novel excerpts.
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