 An herbaceous perennial is defined as a plant that has an annual top and a long-lived base, so that it dies down to ground level each winter. There are exceptions to this such as Hellebore and Bergenia, which keep some leaves throughout the year. Woody perennials include longer-lived plants, such as shrubs and trees.
Herbaceous perennials are good for adding regular interest to the garden and are ideal if you want a cottage garden effect. Unlike bedding, they will come back year after year, but the advantage of bedding is the way you can change the mood of the garden every time you replant, at a reasonable cost.
By choosing your perennials carefully, you can ensure that there are flowers in the garden during all but the very worst of the weather. For instance in late February, you can have Hellebores, and in early spring primroses, foxgloves and Aquilegia (also known as Granny's Bonnet). Then in the summer there are Campanula, Achillea, Delphinium, Helenium, Lupin and Penstemon or Heuchera and Aster for autumn. |
