Flowers and plants

Perennials - herb plants

This page contains following subjects:

  • Introduction
  • Care
  • Multiplying
  • Some species

Introduction

Information is based on a moderate climate such as in Holland.
What are perennials is not so easy to answer. 
In the Netherlands perennials are garden plants who:

  • Herbaceous stems.
  • Survive in winter time below the earth. 
  • Each spring time again grow up and produce new stems, leaves, flowers and seed. 
  • Many perennials are winter hard (in the Dutch climate), but not all species are.
  • There also are perennials who keep their leaves in wintertime, but often they will be damaged because of frost.
  • There also are perennials who creep or climb.
  • There are perennials who in fact are half shrubs of shrubs.

Perennials are important in a garden. When your choice is good you can have during a  main part of the year flowers.

Some species bloom beautifully and also are suitable for flower arrangements. This also is the case for some species who only produce leaves. Also fruits or seed heads are often suitable for flower art.

Care

Care depend of the specific plant. The soil must be good and also the water amount in the soil. To much water often kills the plants. Also the nutrition balance must be good. Plant the plants to their needs in the sun, shade or half shade. Take out the old or wilting flowers. Give some  compost or other nutrition. Some species can have very large stems, give them bamboo sticks to support them or use a special plant supporting system. It prevent bend or broken stems. Cut of the stems after winter time. They are beautiful during winter time and it prevent rotting of the roots.

Multiplying

Many perennials can  be multiplied via seed. Also by splitting the clumb the plant easy can be multiplied. Some species can be multiplied via root cutting. Half shrubs and shrubs can by multiplied by cutting and via hill up earth.

Some species

Cut flowers

Botanical name English name
Achillea filipendulina  
Astrantia major masterworts
Aster novi-belgii  
Campanula persicifolia  
Liatris spicata blazing stars
Physostegia virginiana onbedient plant
Solidago golden rotts

 

Ground covering plants

Acaena microphulla new zealand burs
Asarum europaeum  
Sedum acre bitting stone cropp

 

Climbers

Humulus lupulus  
Lathyrus latifolius ever lasting pea

 

Ferns

Matteuccia struthiopteris  
Osmunda regalis  

 

Half shrubs

Hebe veronicas
Iberis candytuft
Thymus thyme
Vinca minor  

 

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Last update of this page 23.05.2004