University of Vermont Extension
Department of Plant and Soil Science
Anytime News
Article
CHOOSING
PERENNIALS, ECOLOGICALLY
Dr. Leonard Perry,
Extension Professor
University of Vermont
The
sustainable way to choose perennials for your garden, that will result
in the
least maintenance and best success for the plants, is to do so
"ecologically" or by habitat.
Another way to say this is, "put the right plant in the right
place" as far as its cultural needs are concerned. This trend has
become quite popular in Europe, and is now becoming better known in our
own
country.
Plants
are all native somewhere, to some specific habitat. This could be sun or shade, dry soil or wet,
cool climates or hot, rock or bog gardens.
Placing plants in the habitat they originally came from will result in
them thriving with minimal further input from us. Misplace them, and we'll often battle to keep
them growing and prospering. This might
mean higher maintenance such as weeding and pruning, more chemicals to control
pests, and more soil amendments to make them drier or wetter.
Considering
plant ecology when choosing and combining perennials also will help maintain
the natural environment. It can bring
some of the natural world to an urban or suburban environment. The garden also can be used as an outdoor
classroom for the family.
You
can have a more traditional perennial border or other gardens, yet base them on
ecological principles and habitats. The
true garden based on these, emulating nature, is not for everyone. Even the traditional garden, if not designed
properly, will tend to revert to a more
natural state.
So
whether you choose the natural or more traditional approach, here are some
ecological principles to consider in your designs and plant choices.
-- Work with what you've got. If you have wet soil, don't try and change
the soil. Rather, choose the best plants
for it. Disturb the soil as least as
possible, and you'll have less work, and be following a new trend!
-- Select plants as possible that
are adaptable, disease-resistant, compact or strong-stemmed, and that will
compete well with each other. I've lost
more than a few new and less vigorous perennials to their nearby aggressive
neighbors.
-- Strive for a natural design
style. Try to imitate nature. This really goes counter to the traditional
perennial beds with low in the front and taller in the back, often referred to
as the "class
photo" just as you had in school.
Bring some taller plants right to the front as you might find in nature.
-- Plan to cover all the soil with
plants. I've found nature wants the soil
covered, and not with bark mulch! If you
don't put something green there, nature will.
These we usually call weeds! This doesn't mean you need a plant in every
square foot. Many perennials grow quite
large, covering several square feet.
Space such perennials appropriately, and you'll need to buy less, and
you can maintain between them easier.
-- Nature generally goes for large
numbers, so you should too. Plant in
large numbers, swaths, or masses. Let
one group "flow" into another, rather than have in distinct
cookie-cutter clumps.
-- Let some plants self-sow, and
weed selectively. This will give you
more free plants, create a more natural effect, and is one of the keys to
having a "cottage garden."
-- Plan for year round
interest. This may include choosing
plants that bloom at various times. It
also includes leaving some through the fall, not cutting back, for their winter
interest. Some of these provide seeds
for birds as well.
If
you do choose to go the more natural approach, surround the garden or beds with
formal elements such as mown lawn, sharp edges, clipped shrubs, or
statuary. This will let others know your
natural areas are managed and maintained, planned to look that way, and not
just abandoned and grown wild!
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