Some perennials are longer lived than others, but practically all will repeat for several years with minimal attention. Most will live a very long time if dug and separated, and the old crowns discarded, at decent intervals. It follows that you must work with perennials to get the best results from them, and it is a mistake to assume that a perennial border will be carefree simply because it does not require annual replanting. G ardeners who work with perennials for a year of two understand that their great advantage is not their durability, but rather the extraordinary range of colors, heights, textures and blooming times they offer. No class of plants can touch perennials in this respect.
Experienced gardeners can produce astonishingly lovely results.
One must be willing to get necessary experience by trying new things, and occasionally failing. Neither words nor photographs are substitutes for working with your plants. There are mysteries, surprises, and always new lessons to be learned. Return to The Cottage Garden Home page. View a sample garden plan.