Types Of Perennial Flowers

A perennial flower can be described as a flower that blooms during a particular season only, classified as its flowering season. After the season is over, the plant becomes dormant in the ground. It comes to life only when the next flowering season comes. Majority of the house owners today prefer to plant perennial flowers in their garden. This is because it provides them with a variety throughout the year. However, before choosing the perennial flower for your garden, make sure that it addresses your garden's needs and also suits the type of soil therein. There are various types of perennial flowers that can be grown in your garden, differing in their shape, size, color and texture. In the following lines, we have provided a list of the common perennial flower types, depending upon the amount of sunlight they require as well as the type of soil best suited for them.

Types Of Perennial Garden Flowers

Depending Upon Sunlight Received

Full Sun Perennials
Full sun perennial flowers, as the very names suggests, bloom well in locations where they can receive a good amount of sunlight. In fact, they would require six to eight hours of direct sunlight on a daily basis, even in the short days of spring and fall season. Perennial flowers like Lavender, Astilbe, Salvia, Artemisia, Chrysanthemum, Iris, Poppy, Japanese Anemone and Daylily can be included in this category.

Perennials for Part Shade
There are many perennials that do not require full sun and can easily flower in a garden that receives partial shade. They are showy in nature and are, more often that not, found under trees that allow sunlight to penetrate through the canopy. Whether you have a honey locust tree in your yard or have mid-size buildings around your house, these flowers will be perfect. Perennial flowers like Primrose, Bleeding Heart, Foxglove and Ligularia can be included in this category.

Perennials for Full Shade
If you are one of those people who have a garden completely devoid of sunlight i.e. receiving full shade, then you will find certain perennials be the best bet. Perennials for full shade, in fact, grow best in the gardens that are blessed with little or no sunlight. You can also grow them under thickly branched trees or evergreens. Perennial flowers like Ferns, Amsonia, Pulmonaria, Brunnera and Hosta can be included in this category.

Depending Upon the Type of Soil

Dry Soil Perennials
If the soil in your garden is quite dry and you do not have the means of watering the plants on a regular basis, then dry soil perennials will be the best for you. While these plants can survive in a drier climate, it does not mean that you should give up watering them altogether. Rather, you can water them much infrequently as compared to other plants. Perennial flowers like Lavender, Amsonia, Bluestar, Wormwood and Yarrow can be included in this category.

Perennials for Average Soil
If you feel that your garden has been blessed with average soil, in other words soil that has equal percentages of sand, silt, and clay, it is necessary to select the right flowers the same. In this context, perennial flowers for average soil will come handy. However, do make sure that you provide enough light and water to the plants. Perennial flowers like Meadow Sage, Alstroemeria, Aster, Columbine, Geranium and Peony can be included in this category.

Perennials for Moist Soil
If you live at such a place that your garden soil ends up being much damper than the average yard, then be sure that you will not be able to grow any and every flower in your garden. In such a case, you can always go for perennials for moist soil, which can blossom even after taking plenty of rain. Perennial flowers like Cardinal Flower, Brunnera, Astilbe, Pulmonaria, Iris and Foxglove can be included in this category.