Create once - beautiful flowers every year: With a perennial bed, this is possible without a lot of work. Here's how to do it.
A beautiful sea of flowers - and you don't have to do anything for it. At least almost nothing: If you create a bed of perennials, the colorful splendor will come back on its own every year. These perennial plants retreat into the ground during the cold season and then sprout again in spring. So if you approach it cleverly, you can have a pretty garden from spring to autumn without having to dig again every year.
Create a perennial bed cleverly – Step 1: Create a plan
Scattering wild flower seeds can be attractive - but it doesn't necessarily lead to a beautiful result in a perennial bed. Therefore, make a precise plan of what your bed should look like and buy plants in pots specifically for it. Then you can be sure that you will enjoy your perennial bed for a long time. How to proceed:
Choose a suitable location. Many perennials like it sunny, others bloom well in the shade.
Establish flagship perennials. These tall plants belong in the back row, where they tower over everything. Here just a few copies are enough to catch the eye.
Choose medium-tall companion perennials based on your flagship perennials. What should your bed look like? Are all flowers the same color? Do you want to use the accompanying perennials to create a color contrast to the leading perennials? Or are you a fan of colorful color games? Before purchasing the second row of perennials, you should determine these details.
Finish your bed with ground cover plants. Place the so-called filler perennials in the gaps - they provide the ground with shade and protect it from drying out.
The most beautiful leading perennials for your garden
shrub |
Location |
flowering time |
aster |
sunny |
September October |
Bluebell |
shady to sunny |
May–October |
Autumn anemone |
shady/partially shady |
August–October |
Globe thistle |
sunny/partial shade |
July September |
lupine |
sunny |
May–August |
phlox |
sunny/partial shade |
June–September |
Coneflower |
sunny |
July September |
Magnificent medium-high companion perennials
shrub |
Location |
flowering time |
Bergenia |
sunny/partial shade |
March May |
thimble |
sunny |
June July |
Lady's mantle |
sunny/partial shade |
June August |
lavender |
sunny |
June August |
Girl's eye |
sunny |
May–October |
yarrow |
sunny |
June August |
Cranesbill |
sunny |
June July |
Ground cover to fill the perennial beds
shrub |
Location |
flowering time |
Blue pillow |
sunny |
April May |
Evergreen |
shady |
April May |
Lungwort |
shady |
March May |
Carpet phlox |
sunny/partial shade |
April June |
Step 2: Create a perennial bed and care for it properly
To prepare your perennial bed, start by loosening the soil thoroughly and removing weeds. Provide a bucket or tub of water. Before you plant your plants, place them in the water until no more bubbles appear. This way you can grow optimally. Now bury your perennials as far into the soil as they were in the pot.
From now on you don't have to do much: keep the ground free of weeds and cut off dried flowers - this increases the chance of a second flowering period. But leave the old leaves standing in autumn. It protects the plants during the cold season. In the second year at the latest, you should also support the plants with a long-term fertilizer (promotional link).
You can find even more exciting garden topics in the regular newsletter from our partner 24garten.de.
Do perennials also grow in containers?
By the way, you can also plant many perennials in pots or buckets - and therefore on the balcony. Choose plants that don't need too much water, such as asters, lavender or gypsophila.