5 Best Biennial Plants To Add To Your Garden
While you may have heard of perennials and annuals, did you know that there are also biennials? These wonderful plants have a two-year cycle. The first year they develop root systems, grow out their leaves, and start storing nutrients. The second year they flower, produce and disperse seeds, and then “die”. While this may seem odd, there are a ton of benefits to having biennials in your garden. These plants are much more tolerable to colder weather, they have long bloom periods, most are self-sowing, and they are relatively low-maintenance. And with a little careful planning you can have your favorite biennials growing in your garden every year. That’s why today we will share with you some of our favorite biennial plants that would make a wonderful addition to any garden.
These plants are much more tolerable to colder weather and have long bloom periods
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Best Biennial Plants
Biennials are a great addition to the garden. They bloom for long periods, they self-seed, so you don’t have to constantly replant them, and they are drought and cold tolerant. And if you want biennials every year, you just have to plant one batch one year, and then the next batch next year. This way you can enjoy them every year! However, do keep in mind that some biennials can behave differently depending on what climate you are in. In warmer regions, they may act more like annuals, while in colder climates it may take them longer than two years to produce blooms. But you can easily pick your biennials based on your growing conditions. Here are some of our favorites for inspiration.
Biennials are a great addition to the garden
#Forget-me-nots
These dainty little blue flowers have been loved by many over the centuries. Forget-me-nots have been the star in a lot of prose. And it is easy to see why. This wonderful flower is steeped in symbolism. It is a great, colorful addition to your garden that is very low-maintenance. You will be able to enjoy them nearly every year, as they are amazing self-sowers, so they will be doing all the yearly replanting for you. Just make sure you keep them in full sun and moist soil.
Forget-me-nots have been the star in a lot of prose
#Hollyhock
A biennial classic. If you want to add a bit of color in your garden, hollyhock is just what you need. This plant grows super tall – around six feet! It’s stunning, dainty single or double flowers come in a variety of colors for you to choose from – white, purple, yellow, pink, and red. Hollyhocks bloom from July to September, so you will be able to enjoy them for the whole summer. Make sure to plant these plants close together in large clusters, so the tall stems can help support each other. Hollyhocks do like full sun, so keep that in mind when planting.
If you want to add a bit of color in your garden, hollyhock is just what you need
#Wild Angelica
While it does have “wild” in the name, this plant isn’t a woodland exclusive. It has been grown as an ornamental plant for decades. Wild Angelica is also considered to be medicinal, as it can help with an upset stomach. But you don’t need to have stomach issues to grow this wonderful plant in your garden. With its purple, white, or pink clusters of tiny flowers towering over your harden, it will bring you joy every season. Wildlife loves wild Angelica, so you can expect a lot of pollinators in your garden, including bees and butterflies. Keep this plant in full sun and moist soil.
While it does have “wild” in the name, this plant isn’t a woodland exclusive
#Foxglove
Foxgloves are a must-have biennial flower. While there are some perennial versions of this plant, the most popular species Digitalis purpurea is a biennial. This beautiful flower is quite big with long stalks that have wonderful clusters of dangling trumpet shaped flowers. Foxgloves are a magnet for wildlife, especially humming birds. This plant comes in an array of different colors – white, pink, purple, yellow and more. The beautiful foxglove needs full sun to partial shade in order to thrive.
Foxgloves are a must-have biennial flower
#Sweet William
Sweet William, or also known as Sweet John, is a wonderful spring bloom. It produces large clusters of flowers in a bulb form. Sweet William comes in all kinds of colors – white, pink, purple, red, and even bicolors! Its petals can have different shades, markings, and patterns. It also has a sweet fragrance, so it’s the best of both worlds. Sweet William does need full sun to thrive and prefers well-drained soil.
Sweet William, or also known as Sweet John, is a wonderful spring bloom
These were some of our top picks for biennial plants for the garden. We hope you found this article interesting. Now you have some inspiration, which biennial plants will you be adding to your garden?
These were some of our top picks for biennial plants for the garden
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