Growing Perennials in the North & Midwest

Growing Perennials in the Cold North and Midwest Climates is not Always Easy

People say it all the time, "...just plant perennials and you're done!"

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Growing Perennials in the Cold North and Midwest Climates

Perennials, like annuals, sometimes require special care, specific microclimates and experimentation, especially in the northern gardens of the Midwest. 

But if you are willing to "play" a little, they are well worth the effort. And once you have found the perfect spot for your favorite perennials there is generally much less care involved than annuals.

Winter Protection for Hardy Perennials

Some perennials, even hardy perennials, need winter protection in the cold northern climates.  Replanting is not required every year, but many perennials do need to be thinned or divided every few years.

Your reward, however, is more plants to share or fill a new bed.

Selecting and Planning for Perennial Garden

Perennials do not all live forever, either. Be careful when you make your selections, and talk to the nursery staff. Some plants presented in the perennial section of your garden store are even biennials (live for 2 years, but typically re-seed). 

Generally, perennials bloom for only 2 or 3 weeks, so a perennial bed requires a little more planning to make sure you always have something in bloom, and blooming sporadically throughout the bed.  Intermix the showy with the subtle but interesting.  And also, consider the color and texture of the perennial foliage in your plan. 

A great deal of interest and beauty can be achieved with colors from deep greens, silvery grays, and variegated or mottled yellows, whites and limes. 

Leaves from deeply veined and coarse or dimpled to fine lacy fronds can add a variety of texture to the garden.  Plant tall and spiked plants alongside those with arching branches, or full and rounded forms. 

Look for perennials that live a long time and that bloom a long time (see next page for a few ideas).  And, of course, make sure your perennial selection will thrive in your growing zone. 

With the foliage colors and textures adding interest while not in bloom, and annuals tucked in here and there, you can achieve season-long beauty.

Microclimates and Planting Sites for Perennials

When selecting hardy perennials for your garden, be sure to check the zone rating for the plant.  Then consider your planting site. 

Is it an exposed windy area? 

This micro-climate may be up to a zone colder than the rest of your property.  Or if it is a protected area near the house, it could be a zone warmer. 

Keep in mind that a severe winter in your zone may actually expose your plants to conditions of a more northern zone. Some winter protection is always recommended in the north or midwest garden to ensure that your perennials survive whatever the weather presents, even hardy perennials. 

Hardy perennials are heavily protected with deep mulch leaves mounded in and around the base, and a good snow cover will often survive winters in zones north of their hardiness rating.

Hardy Roses for the Perennial Garden

And don’t discount rose bushes as too fussy for your easy-care perennial garden.  Even in the north and midwest, roses are getting easier to grow. 

There are many rose bushes that will thrive in zone 3 or 4 with no more care than a hardy shrub. 

Be sure and check out the pages about hardy shrub roses.  You will find hardy rose bushes that add beautiful blooms to your garden all season.

Next Page Perennials with a Long Life and Long Bloom Period