Spring Garden Planning

A well-designed perennial garden can provide many years of beauty and enjoyment. Careful selection of plant material and thoughtful planning will result in a full season of color.

Perennials often require less maintenance than most annual flowers. Once established, they generally require less water and have fewer pest problems than annuals.

Perennial gardens may serve as a border along a fence or property line, easing the maintenance and water requirements of a lawn in such areas. It is visually pleasing to locate a garden against a background such as a fence, wall, or shrubs.

• Choose your garden location before designing it.
• Consider sun exposure, wind, soil type and irrigation.
• Plan the garden to scale on paper.
• Consider the amount of time needed to maintain the garden.
• Prepare a list of desired perennials.
• Choose perennials that match the site selection.
• Group perennials according to water need.
• Add organic matter to the garden to improve soil aeration and drainage.

After developing a plan, consider careful plant selection in our online nursery. Perennials grown in containers may be planted any time during the growing season, but plant them so they can become established before dormancy and the onset of winter.