A perennial is a plant that lives for many years, returning each season — the backbone of any lasting garden. Get the first few weeks right and a young perennial will reward you for a decade or more. Here is how to give your new arrivals the best possible start.
As soon as your plants arrive
Unpack them straight away. Even a day boxed up in the dark is stressful for a growing plant.
- Stand them somewhere sheltered and bright, out of harsh sun and wind.
- Water them if the compost feels dry — let it drain, never leave them sitting in water.
- If you cannot plant immediately, they will happily wait a few days in their pots. Keep them watered and do not let them dry out.
Choosing the right spot
Check each plant's needs for sun and soil before you dig. Most perennials want a position in sun to part shade with soil that drains freely. Matching the plant to the place is the single biggest thing you can do for its long-term health — the right plant in the wrong spot will always struggle.
How to plant a perennial
- Water the pot well an hour before planting so the rootball is thoroughly moist.
- Dig a hole a little wider than the pot and the same depth — no deeper.
- Ease the plant out and gently tease apart any roots circling the base.
- Set it in so the top of the rootball sits level with the soil surface, then backfill and firm gently.
- Water in well to settle the soil around the roots and remove air pockets.
Caring for them in the first season
Watering
New plantings have small root systems and cannot yet reach deep moisture. Water regularly and deeply through the first growing season, especially in dry spells. A deep soak twice a week does far more good than a daily sprinkle.
Mulching
A layer of mulch — compost, leaf mould or bark — around (but not touching) the stems locks in moisture, suppresses weeds and feeds the soil as it breaks down.
Feeding and patience
Most perennials need little feeding in good soil. In their first year, many put their energy into roots rather than a great show above ground. The old gardener's saying holds true: first year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap. Do not judge a perennial by its first summer.
Looking ahead
Once established, perennials are among the most generous plants you can grow — returning larger each year, and eventually ready to be divided into new plants for free. A little care now buys years of pleasure.
All our perennials are raised from seed and cutting and hardened off before they leave the nursery. Browse the current collection to find your next.