Tip of the week: 3 benefits of planting perennials

Perennials are a solid, sustainable option for ongoing seasonal color. Late summer and early fall are great times to plant and divide plants that keep giving.

Here are the 3 benefits of planting perennials:

1. They come back.

Plant a perennial once and that same plant can beautify your landscape year after year. Perennials provide great value because, unlike annuals, you need only to purchase and plant them once. They should return to bloom again many years, getting larger and more striking as they grow.

2. They can save water.

Once established, low-water perennials can help reduce the amount of water needed to maintain non-stop outdoor color. Look for drought -tolerant Plant Select perennials, developed by Colorado State University with Denver Botanic Gardens to thrive in Colorado's unique conditions.

3. They grow a family.

Many perennials can spread, filling in bare spaces in your landscape and helping to crowd out weeds. They may even outgrow their space after a few seasons. If that happens, divide the plant into two or three, and plant the thinned-out plant in another area of your yard. Now is a great time to divide any crowded perennials like ornamental grasses, Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) and Daises.

Planting now gives your perennials a head start on the next growing season. Make a planting plan so that you stagger plants according to their blooming times. That can provide a longer sequence of blooms in your yard, with color from early spring into the fall. 

Need help planning and installing your perennials for the fall? Email us to help get you get started.