Merrily wrote:
I have heard and read that it is a good idea to cover perennials with
6 to 8 inches of leaves. We are in a new development and we do not
have a lot of leaves; however, I obtained some awaiting pickup in the
street of a nearby neighborhood and I raked up our few leaves. I
placed them over three new this year plants and piled them up as much
as I could. Then along came a wind and blew most away. I managed to
save a few on one plant by running out and placing one large nursery
plastic pot over the leaves with a brick on top to hold it there. My
questions are will leaving the pot over the leaves covering the plant
hurt the plant if I leave it there possibly all winter and what do
most people do to keep the leaves piled up as high as 6 to 8 inches?

I did mulch some expensive unusual bulbs (recommended first year) & a
few other things. My perennials will have to sink or swim on their own,
that's why I have them in the first place, not as much fussing.
Protecting roses, at least in my zone 5a, you can do more damage to the
canes than taking your chances, may mulch a couple and two I have to
bury in dirt here soon because I've read the canes are only hardy to 20
degrees, and they're bands that didn't put out much growth although I
planted out of the pots in early fall or late August, can't remember.

My bleeding heart got partly ruined by the late spring deep freeze, but
I covered it on the bad nights with a pot & plastic and it came back and
finished blooming, it was huge for its second year, may have been set
back; otherwise I don't protect them for winter. I'm not going to worry
about my hostas, and some of my lilies have a little mulch left from
this year.

I will do extensive mulching in the spring but that is to conserve
moisture and keep weeds down.

The only way to protect with leaves in the fall is to make a small
chicken wire cage (24" stuff), stake, and fill with leaves or pile on
leaves and cover w/screen or chicken wire and lay brick or stone on top
of it when they die back. Be sure to take it off early enough in the
spring.