Perennials: The Ride-or-Die of Your Garden

My absolute favourite thing to yap about other than burying compost is getting those perennials in before ANYTHING ELSE! From beautiful flowers, shrubs & trees to foods: veggies, fruits & herbs.

Annuals are like those flaky friends who show up for the party and disappear by winter. Perennials? They’re the dependable besties who stick around, holding your garden together year after year. They dig deep (literally), build better soil, outcompete weeds, and throw a pollinator-friendly bash every season. Whether it’s bold blooms, lush foliage, or edible herbs, perennials are the low-maintenance MVPs that keep your garden thriving—so you can do less planting and more admiring.

Why Are Perennials Are So Essential

1. Low Maintenance, High Rewards
Unlike annuals, which need to be replanted each year, perennials establish deep root systems that make them more drought-resistant and less dependent on constant care. Once they’re settled in, they require minimal effort to thrive—a dream for any lazy gardener!

2. Soil Health Champions
Perennials play a critical role in improving and maintaining soil health. Their roots anchor the soil, reducing erosion and compaction. Over time, these deep roots create channels that improve water infiltration and nutrient availability for other plants.

3. Long-Term Productivity
Whether it’s a patch of asparagus, a rhubarb crown, or a bed of perennial herbs like thyme and oregano, perennials keep giving. With proper care, many edible perennials can produce bountiful harvests for decades.

Perennials for Every Purpose

Food Production

• Vegetables: Asparagus, rhubarb, and artichokes (warmer zones).

• Fruits: Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.

• Herbs: Chives, sage, thyme and mint.

Pollinator Support
Perennials like echinacea, lavender, and yarrow provide consistent food sources for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Aesthetic Appeal
Ornamental perennials such as peonies, hostas, and daylilies bring year-round structure and visual interest to the garden.

In-Ground Composting Meets Perennials

You may already be familiar with the ease and benefits of in-ground composting (because I never stop yapping about it) — burying food scraps directly into the soil to create nutrient-rich pockets for your plants. Pairing this method with perennials is a match made in gardening heaven. As perennials send their roots deep into the soil, they can tap into these nutrient reserves, leading to healthier plants and bigger harvests with minimal effort.

Planning Your Perennial Garden

To magnify the benefits of perennials, consider the following tips:

• Diversity: Mix edible, ornamental, and pollinator-friendly plants for a balanced ecosystem.

• Placement: Plant taller perennials at the back of beds to prevent shading smaller ones. Group plants with similar water and sunlight needs.

• Companion Planting: Pair perennials with annuals for seasonal variety and staggered harvests.

• Patience: Perennials often take a year or two to fully establish, but the wait is worth it for the years of rewards to come.

Perennials are the quiet workhorses of the garden, providing beauty, bounty, and ecological benefits with minimal upkeep. By integrating them into your garden, you’re not just planting for today—you’re creating a foundation that will sustain and delight for years to come. So embrace the perennial way and let these enduring plants transform your garden into a thriving, self-sustaining oasis.

Happy Gardening! :)