Underhill's Perennials & Wildflowers Tips

Perennial Gardening can be quite spectacular and rewarding in itself. The variety of plant styles, shapes and colors will challenge your imagination and tantalize your senses!

Although perennial gardening does have it's own "set of rules", that doesn't mean it has to be difficult. Au contraire. You see, with a bit of information about how each individual plant grows, layout can be easy. Go ahead and experiment!

This is the beauty of perennial gardening. If aren't totally satisfied with your "arrangement" - then re-arrange! It is very easy to move these plants around to different areas in your garden to give a totally new "look". Maybe there are some varieties that you don't enjoy - then out they go (give them to the neighbor you don't like). Or if you really love other varieties - subdivide them after one or two seasons to use in other corners of your garden. You don't have to spend money buying more of your favorites - they will multiply for you!

Natural gardening is becoming more and more popular, and perennials do give a very natural look. Furthermore, by using rockery stone within your perennial garden layout, will create a very natural environment indeed. And you will be amazed at the different variety of birds and butterflies that will begin to frequent your backyard - especially if you incorporate a bird bath in the garden.

Wildflowers can provide an visually interesting backdrop in the far corners of your garden. If there is an area where you don't normally get up close to, but would like to see some color in, then sowing wildflowers seeds could be an easy option. Simply prepare a good soil bed, spread the seeds out on the soil surface, lightly rake to mix the seeds within the top half inch of soil, fertilize and keep watered. Most wildflower seed mixes will give you a wide variety of hardy, colorful flowers blooming at different times of the year. Simply cut them down before winter, and they will return again the following spring. You might find the layout will change slightly each year, because the more aggressive varieties will begin to choke out the weaker ones as they drop their seeds each year.

Ornamental Grasses are fast becoming a popular favorite, with very good reason. There are so many varieties available with a wide range of grass styles, plume style, and color choices in heights ranging from 16" to 90". Place these plants in an area with full sunlight for best effect. They are gorgeous as the breezes cause the plumes to wave back and forth, and can be very dramatic if planted on a western edge of your garden the backlighting effect created by the setting sun in late afternoon is fantastic! Many varieties with provide continuing enjoyment into the winter months as frost , ice or snow accumulates on the dried plumes and grass stalks. Don't cut these babies down just yet!

We can help plan and complete the initial bed installation and planting for you. As with any garden, proper planting soils is critical for best plant growth. Let us do the hard work. Plus, you are assured that your plants easily bloom to their maximum potential. Then you can sit back and enjoy your new "Outdoor Artwork". Maintaining your perennial garden will be so much easier if the installation is done properly. Plus, you can reduce or eliminate your "de-weeding" chores by have us cover the exposed soils with a layer of shredded mulch or bark nuggets. Weed growth will be nil, and your plants will actually grow much better. Mulching will reduce evaporation and retain a considerable amount of moisture in the soil for the plant roots to use. And hey, that mulch looks good too!

If you like, we can return every year or so to help out with cutting back, thinning out, or transplanting your perennials as your garden begins to mature. Mulch or nuggets will need to be "topped-up" every 2 or 3 seasons. We can help keep your perennial garden looking "picture perfect" every season!