Discounts blooming every year with all the colors of the rainbow are one of the most magnificent spectacles that can be seen in an ornamental garden. Nevertheless, many amateur gardeners still avoid planting perennial flower beds, believing that the cultivation of perennials is laborious and too troublesome.
The most important criterion for arranging individual species of perennials is to optimally match the needs of plants to the local soil and lighting conditions. This is a basic requirement that must be met for plants to develop he althily and bloom profusely. It is also necessary to pay attention to the growth force of plants from the neighborhood, so that they do not choke the development of perennials and do not compete with them for food.Only then will we be able to create a blooming flowerbed where the forms and colors blend into a harmonious whole. As for the plants, they do not need to be regularly pruned, fed, watered or weeded.
Plants for arid stands
In sunny positions in a permeable dry sandy ground, durable perennials from the North American prairies and south-eastern European steppes feel perfectly well. Thanks to the extensive system of roots growing deep into the soil, they are able to survive even long periods of summer drought without harming their he alth. Therefore, regular watering is recommended above all in the first summer after planting, so that perennials can take root well. Many species of prairie and steppe plants have long been established in garden cultivation, but the most interesting specimens are sometimes available only in specialized garden centers.
Discounts that do not require tall species and are suitable for display in the very heart include:Among others: Echinacea Echinacea pallida and E. paradoxa, Penstemon digitalis and smooth asters Aster laevis. Smaller sizes are reached by: Veronica spicata, Yarrow Achillea filipendulina, Coreopsis lanceolata and Monarda menthifolia. Echinops, a steppe perennial with leaves and inflorescences similar to a thistle, does a great job in dry stands. It is a honey plant and attracts a lot of bees. Dptam, one of the most durable garden perennials, grows very well in similar positions, on calcareous soils.
In sunny positions, in a fertile, clay soil that keeps moisture well, but is not wet, even more can be used for planting number of plants. These developmental conditions correspond to Helenium, cream bells Campanula lactiflora and Agastache rugosa. We can obtain a substitute of prairie by combining New England asters Aster novae-angliae, Echinacea purpurea and Veronicastrum virginicum in the plantings.Ornamental grasses such as Panicum virgatum millet and Sorghastrum nutans Indian grass are an interesting addition to any planting. The grasses should be planted at irregular intervals so that the plant appears to have been created by nature.
Plants for wet positions
Siberian iris Iris sibirica feel great on wet and wet soils. They show their best side in May and June, when they bloom in shades of blue. In multi-species arrangements, they can be combined with the small day lily Hemerocallis minor and hybrids of the European globe Trollius europaeus. Euphorbia palustris and polygonum bistorta and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria can also be used as companion plants. In this case, however, it is recommended to plant the plants at slightly larger intervals, as these species tend to grow rapidly.
Plants for shade
You can also choose a lot of pretty perennials for shaded places.The Euphorbia amygdaloides, various species of geranium and the yellow-blooming Welsh Meconopsis cambrica are easy to care for. The latter is a short-lived plant, but because it is sown spontaneously, it is constantly present in the garden. Shaded wet areas are suitable for anemones, woodland plants, tawulas, semi-evergreen epimedium, funkia and bergenia.
A surprisingly large number of flowering perennials can grow in the luminous shade of trees and large shrubs. However, in order to speak of an effective (and effective) cultivation, certain conditions must be met. First of all, it is necessary to determine the degree of permeability of the substrate and determine whether the plants will not compete with each other for water and food. For example, in plantings with shallow-rooting perennial shrubs, they do not have access to large amounts of water. A small amount of water is sufficient for the Welsh Meconopsis cambrica, Euphorbia amygdaloides and Geranium nodosum. Where, in shaded positions, the ground has slightly higher humidity, you can grow white Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba' hearts and purple Geranium himalayense geraniums.Hyacinthoides hispanica has been successfully used to close the gaps in plantings. For turfing shady and slightly moist places, for example spotted light, bergenia, sweet wood thyme Asperula odorata, Corydalis.
Bedding bedding plants
On flower beds o nature, where the basis of planting are wild perennials, it is very important to cover the ground with a protective layer of lining. Thanks to it, plants do not have to be watered as often, and weeds spread on a much smaller scale. Mulching also has the advantage that plants develop he althier and tolerate wintering better. Unfortunately, the popular lining made of crushed bark can not be used in all cases. It is only suitable for mulching perennials that tolerate (prefer) humus-rich soil with an acid reaction. The use of cortical bedding for plants from steppe areas, such as sage or sedum, does not produce the desired results.Steppe plants prefer dry growing conditions and rather substrates poor in food. For them, the optimal lining is made of a mineral material such as crushed stone or gravel (layer thickness 4-5 cm). Each lining is not only functional, but also decorative, emphasizing the style of the garden. The gravel linings reflect the style of a Mediterranean garden or mountain streams, while the bark linings perfectly imitate a forest-park style.
