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Low-growing perennials are a universal “tool” for an experienced gardener. These flowers are complemented by landscape compositions, successfully combined with horticultural and horticultural crops, used as borders, borders and other dividing structures.
Almost all undersized perennials bloom throughout the summer. Flower beds with them look well-groomed and remain spectacular even without regular care, an annual transplant.
Low-growing flowers are very unpretentious, but even they need to be able to choose the right ones. You can learn about the varieties of perennials and their features from this article.
Varieties of undersized perennial flowers
Perennial flowers for the garden can be of different sizes. Low plants are distinguished into a separate group, which, in turn, are divided into:
- ground cover;
- undersized perennial flowers;
- dwarf subspecies of flowering perennials.
If the ground covers literally creep along the ground, covering it from the sun, wind and cold, then undersized and dwarf flowers have longer stems, often their height does not exceed 70 cm.
In addition to this division low perennials for the garden are flowering and non-flowering. In the first case, the garden will be decorated with inflorescences, with which perennial flowers, as a rule, are decorated for two to three months, that is, almost the entire season. Non-flowering group – plants with beautiful decorative shoots, leaves of an interesting shape or a unique color. Both those and other flowers are quite often used by landscape designers and simple gardeners.
The purpose of perennial low plants
Low-growing perennials help gardeners solve many problems. After all, these flowers:
- do not require constant and complex care;
- no need to regularly and abundantly water;
- they only need one or two top dressings per season;
- easily seated, transferred to another place and divided;
- grow rapidly and begin to bloom already in the first or second year after planting;
- can bloom all season;
- go well with other types and varieties of plants, as well as with trees and even garden crops;
- take root on different soils, there are varieties of perennial flowers for sandy or rocky soil.
Choosing a variety of low-growing perennial flower for the garden
When choosing perennial flowers for a summer cottage or a suburban area, it is necessary to take into account the compatibility of plants intended for one flower bed or landscape composition.
Perennials must meet such requirements as:
- Frequency and method of watering.
- Growth rate.
- Bush height.
- Suitable soil composition.
- Fertilizers and frequency of their introduction.
- The need and method of shelter for the winter.
- Love for the sun or shade.
Astrantia large
This undersized flower grows no higher than 70 cm. Spreading bushes are covered with flowers already in early summer, flowering ends by the end of August. In order for new inflorescences to constantly appear on the bushes, it is necessary to remove wilted flowers in time.
The shade of flowers of this perennial can be absolutely anything – today there are many varieties of astrantia, there are even bushes with multi-colored buds. But more often you can find a low-growing perennial with flowers of white, pale pink or burgundy.
It is better to plant a perennial plant in the sun, but a slightly shaded area, for example, a trellis shade from a gazebo or hedge, is also suitable. The undersized plant is unpretentious in terms of soil and care – astrantia can grow anywhere.
Salvia oak
Sage (or salvia) also belongs to undersized perennials that bloom throughout the summer. Bushes grow about 60-80 cm, sage is not sprawling, rather compact perennial.
The inflorescences of this perennial plant are very spectacular – long candles of a beautiful purple color. Sage should be planted in the shade, choosing areas with fertile and slightly moist soil.
Perennial demanding care. It is very important to maintain constant soil moisture around the bush, loosen the soil in a timely manner, apply complex fertilizers, and protect against pests and weeds. But as a result of painstaking work, sage will reward not only beauty, but also health, because it is a well-known medicinal plant that saves from many ailments.
Armeria seaside
This perennial has about ten varieties, all of which differ in appearance and characteristics. But, in principle, this plant is quite unpretentious. Armeria does not need to be watered often, any soil is suitable for the plant, even clay and sandy. Armeria will also successfully decorate rocky rockeries or rock gardens.
The flowering of this undersized perennial lasts all summer, and photos of the bushes can be seen below.
Alyssum Marine
A very hardy and hardy perennial. The height of the bushes does not exceed 20 cm, strong stems literally crawl along the ground, decorating it with lush flowering.
Alyssum blooms for a very long time: the first inflorescences appear in May, and the last flower is able to withstand even slight frosts. In regions with mild winters, the perennial does not die off, but with the first rays of the spring sun, it continues to grow and develop.
But even in a cold climate, the perennial does not need shelter, the plant will endure even severe frosts. The shade of peduncles can be any: white, yellow, pink, purple.
Arenaria purple
An ideal perennial for rockeries and alpine slides. This flower is so unpretentious that it can grow on sand or stones. The height of the stems does not exceed 15 cm, and the shoots of the perennial are painted crimson.
Inflorescences can be pale pink or white. They are made in the form of small stars. Arenaria blooms in early June and continues to bloom until late autumn.
No special care is required for the perennial, it can even not be watered – arenaria tolerates drought very well.
perennial chrysanthemum
A well-known and very common plant. This perennial is especially loved by gardeners, mainly because it tolerates winter well.
Chrysanthemums begin to bloom a little later than other perennials – often, this is the second half of summer. But these flowers are one of the few that continue to bloom until the first severe frosts.
There can be many shades and shapes of inflorescences – there are many varieties of perennial chrysanthemums.
Balkan geranium
That kind of perennial plant, which does not shed its leaves even for the winter, therefore it can decorate the garden all year round. The height of the perennial bushes reaches 25 cm, the bushes are decorated with carved leaves of a rich green hue. In autumn, the foliage turns yellow, it may turn red – it looks very impressive.
Geranium blooms begin in June and continue until the end of the summer season. All this time, a very delicate floral aroma spreads through the garden. The hue of the peduncles is red or purple.
This is another perennial of low growth, which will be a worthy decoration of any garden. The leaves of the bushes are lanceolate, and the inflorescences are spike-shaped. The flowers are painted in a light pink or purple hue.
A distinctive feature of the perennial is that it does not shed its leaves for the winter, and besides, their color does not change – the leaves remain green. Perennial bloom ends by the end of September.
How to grow undersized perennials
Like all perennial plants, undersized flowers do not need any special care. However, in order to provide your garden with spectacular healthy flowers, the owner will have to sweat a little by doing the following:
- Remove dried flowers in a timely manner so that they do not take away strength from the whole plant.
- Enclose the soil with rocks or plastic (metal) plates to prevent overgrowth of roots.
- Plant flowers not continuous to the border or edge of the flower bed, but at some distance. It is necessary to take into account the high growth rate of perennials.
- Use a drip irrigation system – it is more convenient to control the supply of water and fertilizers.
- Cover perennials for the winter using spruce branches or synthetic “breathable” materials.
- Select perennials so that the flower bed pleases with flowering from early spring to late autumn.
Each photo of a low-growing perennial more and more confirms the uniqueness and showiness of these plants. In order for the beauty of perennials to manifest itself especially brightly, these flowers do not need to be planted one by one – they look great in dense group plantings.
