Perennial gardening is the way to grow!

Perennial gardening is the way to grow!

When people ask me which plants they should plant first, the first plants I think of are perennials! What is a perennial? The Britannica definition of a perennial is any plant that persists for several years, usually with new herbaceous growth from a part that survives from season to season. Or you can think of it like this: 

                      


Perennials can be edible or nonedible. In this blog, I'll be covering edible perennials. Edible perennials don't have to be just planted in a designated gardening area. Many edible perennials have beautiful foliage that can easily be incorporated into your decorative landscaping. Imagine where you could add some of these valuable plants to your existing landscape. So, where would I start if I wanted to add perennials?

What if your landscaping was full of edible plants? There is nothing wrong with beautiful flowering landscaping trees, but what if you could walk into your yard and choose your pick of an apple, pear, or even delicious plums. Instead of the same old cookiecutter green hedges, what if we replace them with blueberry bushes? What if your landscaping could feed you while providing beauty? All of this is possible! Here are some suggestions that we have worked for us on our little homestead.

   

Most of us think of veggies as annual plants, but there are some perennials veggies too! If you add one to two perennial vegetables each year, you will have a continuous, reliable crop over time. Most of them have unique foliage that will add texture, color, and shape to your landscape!

    

If you are into cooking, you know there is nothing better than fresh herbs! Not only do they taste good, but they have medicinal properties as well. A lot of herbs are perennials too! Most are pretty hardy and love to live in pots, just as much as they do in the ground. Here are some of my favorites:

     


I find perennials to be an excellent investment for the long haul in any homestead or garden. If you're not quite sure if perennials are for you, try to add at least one perennial plant to your garden each year. Once you experience the magic of their reappearance each year, you'll want them around!

Here I have added a printable version of perennial plants if you would like a guide. Have fun planting!