Are you looking to breathe some new life into your home and garden? There can be no denying that plants can help to transform any landscape. However, if you’re new to gardening, it can be tough to know what the right options to be adding to your backyard are.
One of the most common questions customers ask us is what the difference between annual and perennial plants is. That is why we thought we would take a closer look at the key differences between the two and the benefits that they provide your home and garden.
What Is An Annual Plant?
As the name suggests, an annual plant is one that has a life cycle of a single growing season. Typically speaking, that means you plant your seeds in the springtime, which would then begin to sprout.
With proper gardening care, they will bloom into beautiful flowers over the summer months before beginning to yield seeds during the fall. When those seeds start to appear, it is a sign that the life cycle of these plants is complete. Once the life cycle has been completed, the plant’s leaves, stems, and roots all die, with just the dormant seeds left behind.
There are many different types of annual plants available in Dallas for your home and garden. Some of the most popular include:
Angelonia
Perfect for high-temperature environments, these beautiful and drought-tolerant flowers will flourish throughout the year. Not only will they look fantastic during the summer months, but they are also a very low-maintenance plant.
Begonia
Another very low-maintenance flower, the Begonia, is a great way to add a touch of color to your landscape.
Chrysanthemum
If you’re looking to add some late fall color to your home and garden, then chrysanthemums are a fantastic addition to your home.
Dahlias
When it comes to gardening, dahlias are a stunning flower that offers honeycomb-style flowers and gorgeous colors throughout the summer months.
Petunias
If you are looking to add some hanging baskets around your home, then petunias are a great choice. These very low-maintenance flowers come in an array of vibrant colors and, when placed in regular sunlight, can bloom throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
Why Choose Annuals?
When it comes to gardening, adding annual flowers and plants to your home and garden can help you to transform your backyard. There are many benefits of adding annual plants, with some of the most popular being:
1) Add Depth to Your Flower Beds
Thanks to their fast growth and quick blooming period, adding annuals to your flower beds can help you to add depth. Adding them around your flower beds will ensure there is always gorgeous color in your garden.
2) Beautiful Addition
Those bright colors are another major benefit of adding annuals to your home and garden. With an almost endless choice of colors, these are a great way to transform the visual appeal of your home and garden.
3) Long Bloom Period
Another major benefit of adding annual plants in Dallas is that they have a long bloom period. These plants can thrive for months when cared for.
4) Affordable
Gardening is a highly enjoyable hobby for the whole family, and annuals are one of the most inexpensive types of plants available.
5) Low Maintenance
Not only are annuals a beautiful and highly versatile plant to add to your home and garden, but they are also very easy to look after. Planting them in the right locations and ensuring you are giving them enough water and nutrients will see them flourish.
What is a Perennial Plant?
While an annual has a life cycle of one season, perennial plants have a much longer cycle. These flowers and plants are able to live for multiple growing seasons, ensuring that your garden will always come to life each spring. Depending on the variety you plant, perennials are able to last up to several decades, thriving in dry and sunny environments.
The vast majority of perennial plants will keep their leaves throughout the year, ensuring there is always some greenery in your home and garden. However, unlike annuals which bloom very quickly, perennials take much longer. Typically, they will only begin to flower in the second year after being planted, which means adding them to your garden in the spring of 2022 will not see them flower until 2023.
As with annuals, there are a huge variety of perennial plants to choose from, including:
Amsonia
These beautiful plants produce a light blue flower that typically appears during the spring and early summer months. The Amsonia plant looks particularly great when planted in large masses in your garden.
Daylily
These highly durable plants are able to grow in almost all soil types, producing a stunning red flower every summer. For the best bloom, they do need full sunlight every day so plant them in the sunniest locations in your home and garden.
Foxglove
These tall, bell-shaped flowers come in an array of colors and are the perfect addition to any garden. These stunning plants are also popular for birds and butterflies, seeing your garden come alive with wildlife.
Lavender
Lavender not only looks fantastic but also helps to add a delightful scent to any home and garden.
Peony
Known for having a life cycle of several decades, peonies are a stunning addition to your garden. They also tend to get bigger and better each growing season.
Why Choose Perennials?
There are many benefits to planting perennials in your home and garden, including:
1) Great Investment
Thanks to blooming each summer, perennial plants are a fantastic investment. Paying for these flowers once means you can get years of joy from these flowers.
2) High Weather Tolerance
Perennials are also great at being able to withstand a wide variety of weather conditions, making them incredibly long-lasting.
3) Continuously Changing
Due to the ever-changing life cycle of perennials, it means your garden will be a continuously changing tapestry of colors.
4) Low Maintenance
Once planted, perennials are a great low-maintenance solution. With the right care and attention, you can have complete peace of mind your garden will come alive each year.
5) Improve Soil Structure
Thanks to their annual growth, perennials can help to significantly improve your soil structure. As the roots grow and spread out, they help to aerate the soil, boosting the positive microorganisms.
Plants That Break The Rules
While annuals and perennials are two of the most common types of plants in gardening, there are some that break the rules. Biennials are those plants that will grow for two seasons but only bloom in that second year. Tulips are a blend of both, and with the right care they can come back year on year. That is not always the case, and they may need to be replanted each growing season.
Another popular type is tender perennials. These plants are often found in warm climates when cold winters are not common, ensuring that your garden will always look fantastic throughout the year.
Final Thoughts
No matter whether you are looking to plant annuals, perennials, or biennials in your garden, these plants are a great way to transform your home and garden. Planting a mix of these and ensuring you are offering the right care and attention to each plant will ensure your garden looks fantastic all year round.
Come by Jacksons Home & Garden today to speak with one of our plant experts to start creating your perfect garden.