Perennials or Annuals? Which to Plant.

As spring looms on the horizon, homeowner’s minds often turn towards their plans for outdoor living in and gardening. For those who particularly enjoy floral blooms as part of their landscape design, the debate often rages between whether to plant perennials, which will resurface each year, or to plant annuals, which must be replenished once they die out.

The best answer to that question is – you should plant both. Although perennials provide the simplicity of ongoing regeneration, they do have their downside as well. For those who enjoy variety and change, planting only perennials can seem a bit too monotonous and predictable. Of course, being sure to plant varieties that bloom at different times of the year will help lessen that sense, since new flowers will be blooming as others are dying out. The other issue with perennials is the need for thinning down the over population that can occur as they continue to multiply and spread over the years.

Annuals, on the other hand, can be purchased and planted new each year, always testing out new varieties and different color combinations. The downside to annuals, of course, is the expense. Their initial cost may be lower than most perennial plants, but when you multiply the cost over several years, the expense quickly surpasses that of the perennial variety.

The best solution is to plant a large majority of your floral areas with perennials and then add a smaller amount of annuals in other areas or as accents in large pots. This keeps your annual floral costs down, while still providing you with a fresh new look each year.