Perennials are the backbone of beautiful Northwest gardens. These hardworking plants return year after year, offering structure, seasonal color, and long-term value. That’s why we dedicate an entire month to celebrating them! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just getting started, Perennial Month is the perfect time to explore new varieties and plant with purpose.
Here’s how to make the most of it:
1. Why Perennials Deserve the Spotlight
Unlike annuals that complete their lifecycle in one season, perennials return each year, often growing fuller and more vibrant with time. That means:
- Less replanting each spring
- Lower long-term maintenance
- More impact for your investment
From early spring bloomers to fall favorites, there’s a perennial for every corner of your garden and every season.
2. Perennials for Pollinators
Many perennials do more than beautify your garden; they support vital pollinator populations. Look for varieties like:
- Echinacea (Coneflower): Drought-tolerant and available in vibrant pinks, purples, and oranges. Loved by honeybees & bumblebees and many Oregon native bees
- Heuchera (Coral Bells): Grown for its striking foliage in a rainbow of colors; great for borders or containers. Summer flowers loved by bees, butterflies & Hummingbirds
- Salvia: A long-blooming favorite that’s deer-resistant and beloved by bees and hummingbirds.
- Hosta: Perfect for shade gardens with lush, textured leaves and elegant flowers, loved by Hummingbirds.
- Daylilies: Nearly indestructible and stunning in mass plantings. Loved by bees, butterflies, hummingbirds & moths
- Bee Balm for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds & moths
- Lavender and Yarrow for bees
- Black-eyed Susans for butterflies
Creating a pollinator-friendly perennial garden ensures your blooms are alive with movement and color all season long.
3. Design Tips for Year-Round Interest
Perennials are incredibly versatile and can be used in all types of garden design:
- Layer them by height. Tall varieties like delphinium in the back, medium height in the middle, and low-growing groundcovers at the front.
- Cluster like varieties together. They will be more easily seen by all the pollinators flying by your garden
- Play with foliage. Not all beauty comes from blooms. Plants like heuchera, sedum, and ornamental grasses offer incredible texture and seasonal change.
- Combine with annuals for pops of bold color and flexibility.
4. Soil, Sun & Success
Planting perennials isn’t just about looks, location matters. Always consider:
- Sun exposure: Full sun, part shade, or full shade
- Soil drainage: Amend with Al's Compost or Al's Soil Booster if needed.
- Spacing: Give plants room to mature and breathe.
Need help? Al’s Garden & Home experts are always ready to recommend the right plant for the right place.
Plant Perennials for all kinds of pollinators Now. Enjoy for Seasons to Come.
Perennials are an investment in beauty, biodiversity, and ease. Whether you’re planting a pollinator haven, refreshing a tired bed, or trying something new, this is the season to dig in. Come celebrate Pollinator Month with Al’s. For your garden. For your success.
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