“To everything there is a season.” Every gardener knows this to be true. Our beloved plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables live and die depending on the time of the year. This is a reality our ancestors were well-acquainted with: Stockpiling their harvests in the spring to survive the cold winters, when most of their plants would die off.
Not all plants are subject to these limitations, though. Some plants can go through an entire year of season changes and be just fine, so long as they are tended to properly. If you’re wondering what plants you can garden year round, let ABC Scapes help with this list of plants that can go the distance.
Perennials
Perennials should be a staple of every garden. Most of them are beautiful to behold and they will endure throughout the year! A common misconception that people have about perennials is that they die over the winter, but this isn’t true. During the winter most perennial plants go into hibernation. Their roots are hard at work, out of sight beneath the soil, preparing the perennial for new growth when spring comes.
There’s a huge variety of perennial flowers to choose from. From forget-me-nots to creeping phlox and coral bells, perennials have colors and shapes that are just as bold and lovely as their shorter-lived brethren. Some of our favorite perennials are:
- Peruvian Lily
- Catmint
- Gaura
- Coneflower
- Gloriosa Daisy
- Lavender
- Sea Holly
- Pineapple Sage
And for folks looking to add more greenery to the garden, there are also varieties of perennials that are long-blooming and aren’t as floral in their appearance. These green perennials include:
- Russian sage
- Rudbeckia
- Beard tongue
- Fernleaf bleeding hearts
- Hellebore
Evergreens
There’s a wide variety of evergreen shrubs and trees that can stay lush all year long. If you’re looking for a wind-resistant shrub that can stand up to heat and poor soil, an evergreen hop bush would make a great addition to your landscape. If you want to add a tree to your yard, many species of acacia trees are evergreen. So is the sweet olive, the “Saratoga” sweet bay and the slow-growing Mayten tree. Not only are they evergreens but they also require very little water once they’ve been firmly established in your soil. For those of you wanting a large evergreen tree, the California native coast live oak would do the trick nicely, providing plenty of shade with it’s epic dimensions. But if you want something smaller, the winter heather is a perfect year round evergreen.
Year Round Flowers
There are also some species of flowers that aren’t perennials but do have the ability to bloom all year long and survive harsh conditions. One of the most popular of these flowers is the Chinese hibiscus. While it can struggle in cold climates, if it’s tended well it can bloom throughout the year! Asters, Sweet alyssum and star clusters can also be coaxed into blooming year round so long as their spent blooms are removed regularly.
Container Plants
Another way to cheat the elements and season changes is to use container-grown plants. That way you can enjoy your plants indoors during the unforgiving winters. There are some annual plants that are actually tender perennials: If they’re brought inside, they will survive the winter. There are also certain types of fruits and tropical plants that do very well when grown in containers. These plants and fruits include:
- Geraniums
- Petunias
- Pineapples
- Dwarf citrus trees
- Plumeria
- Flowering Maple
- Adam’s needle
- Stonecrop
Want to know more about perennials and other hardy plants that can be tended to throughout the year? Give ABC Scapes a call at (602) 404-0568.