Guest Author - Hellie T.

Perennials are the mainstay of an English Garden.
They are non-woody plants that live for at least two years and often for many years after planting. On the whole they are easy to grow and will reward you with flowers over many seasons. To give them a good start in your garden it is important to plant them correctly.

Check the plants before you buy them for

Thick strong stems
With a good number of leaves
Look for small healthy plants – these will soon grow and you will be able to split them into 2 or 3 plants in the next season.

Avoid plants

That have discoloured or wilted leaves
A large number of roots coming out of the container
Lots of weeds or moss in the pot

Container grown perennials can be planted throughout the year, however for the very best results plant in the spring or autumn, as the weather then is usually mild and damp and this helps the plants get a good start in your English Garden.

Remember do not plant perennials in - frozen soil in winter and hot dry soil in the summer!



Planting

Decide where the plant is to go – place it in your chosen position in its pot to make sure that it looks right there and will go with the other plants around it.

Before planting water your plant well – if the soil feels quite dry - pop it into a bucket of water for 30-40 minutes.

Then dig a hole – just a bit deeper than the pot and about 1.5 times wider. If the ground is stony take out any large stones. To help the roots take hold - loosen the soil at the bottom and sides of the hole.

Hold the compost around the base of the plant in one hand, invert the pot and hopefully the plant will slide out of the pot. If it refuses to come out then a couple of sharp taps on the base of the pot with a trowel often works wonders!

Remove the top layer of soil as this helps to get rid of any weed seeds, weeds or moss – plants from reliable sources shouldn’t have any but there are sometimes bargains to be had that will have weeds in them. Next very carefully separate the roots around the sides and bottom as this will help them find their way into the earth.

Pop the plant in the hole and check that the crown (or top) of the plant is at the same depth as it was in its original container.
Add more soil or dig a bit deeper if you have to then holding you’re perennial with one hand fill in the gaps around it - firming the surface of the soil around the plant.

Don’t forget to give it a good watering.

If you have some suitable mulch then spread it around the plant – this will help keep in moisture and control weeds.


Enjoy your English Garden!