Annuals?
I noticed a question about annuals in another thread, and it got me wondering
about whether I am the odd one out in having an almost exclusively perennial garden. I just don't have time to spend on setting out annuals every year, as my gardening hours are already over-subscribed by other more pressing matters (weeding, mowing, carving out new beds etc.) Other than a few favourite annuals, I just don't bother much with them any more. Are there others who do the same? Bill Vancouver |
Annuals?
Not at all Bill I too tend to plant Perennial's, takes a bit longer to
get a display but in the long run they seem to be more tolerant of climactic stress, guess the more extensive root systems would account for that. the one exception being Pansy's/Annual Violas..am addicted to them! Fortunately so is the wife.... And the Biennial Bronze Fennel which actually seems to be a perennial, and a freely self seeding one at that! Dave On 08 Jun 2003 14:25:55 GMT, (Bill Spohn) wrote: I noticed a question about annuals in another thread, and it got me wondering about whether I am the odd one out in having an almost exclusively perennial garden. I just don't have time to spend on setting out annuals every year, as my gardening hours are already over-subscribed by other more pressing matters (weeding, mowing, carving out new beds etc.) Other than a few favourite annuals, I just don't bother much with them any more. Are there others who do the same? Bill Vancouver Dave Fouchey, WA4EMR http://photos.yahoo.com/davefouchey Southeastern Lower Michigan 42° 35' 20'' N, 82° 58' 37'' W GMT Offset: -5 Time Zone: Eastern |
Annuals?
Bill Spohn wrote: I noticed a question about annuals in another thread, and it got me wondering about whether I am the odd one out in having an almost exclusively perennial garden. I just don't have time to spend on setting out annuals every year, as my gardening hours are already over-subscribed by other more pressing matters (weeding, mowing, carving out new beds etc.) Other than a few favourite annuals, I just don't bother much with them any more. Are there others who do the same? Other than a few window boxes and a couple of seasonal containers, I never plant annuals, certainly not in the ground. First, flowers are not the primary element in my garden - form, foliage and texture are and few annuals can meet this requirement. Second, they are expensive when considering the required seasonal replacement, and I 'd rather invest in permanent plants. Finally, they require too much attention in terms of frequent fertilizing, constant watering and deadheading to maintain their appearance - there are only so many hours in the day! FWIW, I also tend to be not very heavily invested in perennials, either. Most don't offer the year round appearance I am shooting for and they also tend to be high on the maintenance schedule. I do indulge my favorites, but over the years my garden has evolved into much more of an evergreen and/or mixed shrub garden with a few (okay, quite a few!) perennials thrown into the mix for color and seasonal fillers. Besides, trees, shrubs, groundcovers and vines are so much more interesting! pam - gardengal |
Annuals?
Other than a few favourite annuals, I just don't bother much with them any
more. Are there others who do the same? I keep adding a few perennials every year with the goal of a perennial garden, but you know it just doesn't seem right without sunflowers, zinnias, marigolds, allysum,red salvia and petunias. Oh yea, and impatients. And coleus. And I have to have pansies and in this area they are pretty much annuals though once in awhile one will come back. So despite my intentions I end up with new perennial every year, plus the same old annuals (with less and less room for them) Oh yea and morning glory... Joelle If you want to make God laugh, tell him what you are doing tomorrow Father Mike |
Annuals?
I have no annuals. I have a very shady yard with many trees and have used
hostas, ferns, rhodos and azaleas almost exclusively as plantings around the house and the stone wall beside the driveway. It works for me. Joan PS - Daffys, tulips and crocuses still come up each spring in the beds on the south side of the house. |
Annuals?
And the Biennial Bronze Fennel which actually seems to be a perennial,
and a freely self seeding one at that! Me too - lovely plant! |
Annuals?
Makes a great background plant, with the added benefits of attracting
Swallowtail Butterflies and just plain tasting good. Dave On 09 Jun 2003 01:13:19 GMT, (Bill Spohn) wrote: And the Biennial Bronze Fennel which actually seems to be a perennial, and a freely self seeding one at that! Me too - lovely plant! Dave Fouchey, WA4EMR http://photos.yahoo.com/davefouchey Southeastern Lower Michigan 42° 35' 20'' N, 82° 58' 37'' W GMT Offset: -5 Time Zone: Eastern |
Annuals?
I'm not into planting flats and flats of annuals, so my solution is to plant
seeds of annuals that will self-sow in years to come. Through this method I have permanent annuals in my garden, including california poppies, opium poppies, shirley poppies, bachelor buttons, fleabane, allysum, larkspur, cosmos, godetia, lavatera, four-o-clocks and this year have added some new ones for me, including scarlet flax, linaria, nemophilia, and limnanthes. I don't think the larkspur germinated for me, and neither did the annual phlox, so I might need to try sowing those at another time of year. The main trick is to remember what the seedlings look like, and not to be afraid to thin ruthlessly when they are growing too close together. Also to weed them out of the perennials and shrub areas. I will plant the occasional small groups of petunias, lobelia, rock roses, and impatiens - but not enough to qualify as major expenditures of time, effort, and money. "Bill Spohn" wrote in message ... I noticed a question about annuals in another thread, and it got me wondering about whether I am the odd one out in having an almost exclusively perennial garden. I just don't have time to spend on setting out annuals every year, as my gardening hours are already over-subscribed by other more pressing matters (weeding, mowing, carving out new beds etc.) Other than a few favourite annuals, I just don't bother much with them any more. Are there others who do the same? Bill Vancouver |
Annuals?
I have perennial beds that are interspersed with annuals.
Ya can't beat annuals for fall lcolor-zinnias, marigolds,etc.(along with my dahlias, of course!) "Come into my garden, my flowers want to meet you!" |
Annuals?
I love annuals. I have a container garden on the balcony and use annuals
almost exclusively. I especially love those new guinea impatiens. I find the selection of perrenials overwhelming. You never really know what you're going to get. I find the plant hard to picture strictly from the tag. Which makes it hard to make good combinations. I've started to experiment with some of the most basic perrenials. But, even the basic ones only have a limited bloom period. And you have to wait several years for blooming. Yes, stunning when they bloom, but I've had to wait 3-4 years to get a decent show out of a bunch of daylillies! I prefer the instant gratification of annuals. Never claimed I was a patient woman. S. "Bill Spohn" wrote in message ... I noticed a question about annuals in another thread, and it got me wondering about whether I am the odd one out in having an almost exclusively perennial garden. I just don't have time to spend on setting out annuals every year, as my gardening hours are already over-subscribed by other more pressing matters (weeding, mowing, carving out new beds etc.) Other than a few favourite annuals, I just don't bother much with them any more. Are there others who do the same? Bill Vancouver |
Annuals?
I'm with you, Bill.
I think one of the most gratifying thing as a gardener is to watch the perennials come back to life each spring. I've gotten immense pleasure from starting some by seed and watching them grow stronger each year. Annual flowers are great fillers and I grow many from seed each year to give away as gifts (including herbs), but I am most fond of my "family" of perennials :-) Just don't tell my tomato and peppers I said that! Erin |
Annuals?
Pam wrote:
Bill Spohn wrote: I noticed a question about annuals in another thread, and it got me wondering about whether I am the odd one out in having an almost exclusively perennial garden. I just don't have time to spend on setting out annuals every year, as my gardening hours are already over-subscribed by other more pressing matters (weeding, mowing, carving out new beds etc.) Other than a few favourite annuals, I just don't bother much with them any more. Are there others who do the same? Other than a few window boxes and a couple of seasonal containers, I never plant annuals, certainly not in the ground. First, flowers are not the primary element in my garden - form, foliage and texture are and few annuals can meet this requirement. Second, they are expensive when considering the required seasonal replacement, and I 'd rather invest in permanent plants. Finally, they require too much attention in terms of frequent fertilizing, constant watering and deadheading to maintain their appearance - there are only so many hours in the day! FWIW, I also tend to be not very heavily invested in perennials, either. Most don't offer the year round appearance I am shooting for and they also tend to be high on the maintenance schedule. I do indulge my favorites, but over the years my garden has evolved into much more of an evergreen and/or mixed shrub garden with a few (okay, quite a few!) perennials thrown into the mix for color and seasonal fillers. Besides, trees, shrubs, groundcovers and vines are so much more interesting! pam - gardengal Hehe. Chiming in late here, but... You sound like me. I like trees, bushes, groundcovers, etc. I MIGHT put in a few flowers, but then I want things that can basically take care of themselves. (So, I'm sure you can imagine how I felt when the landscape designer, after my written description of what I was trying to achieve, and many discussions, finally came up with a flower garden!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was a couple years ago now, but I still have not regained my confidence enough to hire anyone to help me achieve my goals.)) Jean B. -- Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
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