When choosing a perennial to fill an empty space in your garden, make sure to get the most bang from your buck by selecting one, or several, of the long blooming perennials listed below.

Spring bulbs faithfully reappear at the most advantageous time – after a long, cold winter. Most spring bulbs are perennial and multiply in number every year. Seemingly carefree, bulbs do require a bit of nurturing to ensure that they perform their very best for years to come.

1. Good soil drainage is important to prevent bulbs from rotting. Plan your site accordingly.
2. When planting bulbs in the fall, add a high phosphorus fertilizer to the planting hole for the development strong roots. Bone meal is an excellent choice.
3. Bulb foliage will often break through the soil after a few warm winter days. This vegetation is hardy and its exposure to the cold will not damage your plants or prevent them from blooming.
4. Fertilize bulbs as plants are emerging from the ground. Do not fertilize them once flowers appear. Use a complete fertilizer that is high in phosphorus, like a granular 5-10-5, to assist in foliage and flower development.
5. After blooming, cut back the flower stalk leaving the bulb foliage. This will force the plant to put its energy into the bulb for next year’s flowers and not into seed production.
6. Allow the leaves to die back naturally. The leaves are vital for producing food that is stored in the bulb for next year’s growth. Cut bulb leaves, never pull them, once they have turned yellow. Do not tie leaves as this reduces the leaf surface required for adequate food production.
7. When the foliage dies back the bulb is dormant, this is the proper time to dig and separate bulbs if necessary. Flowering will often be reduced when bulb beds become over-crowded. If division is needed, bulbs should be dug and stored in a well-ventilated place and replanted in the fall.
8. Fertilize bulbs again in the fall with a high-phosphorus, granular fertilizer.

Subtle blooms in early spring sing the promise of winter’s end. These simple beauties are often overlooked, overpowered by the bold appearance of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and more. This is unfortunate as these perennials have an unpretentious charm that complements early season bulbs and shrubs. Consider adding a selection of these delicate treasures to your landscape this year! Listed are a few of our favorites:

SUNNY LOCATION
Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
English Daisy (Bellis)
Mountain Pinks (Phlox subulata)
Rockcress (Aubrieta)
Candytuft (Iberis)
Wall Cress (Arabis)
Pig Squeak (Berginia)
Basket-of-Gold (Aurina)

FULL TO PART SHADE
Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla)
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia)
Columbine (Aquilegia)
Dead Nettle (Lamium)
Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis)
Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera)
Lungwort (Pulmonaria)
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria)
Primrose (Primula)
Sweet Violet (Viola odorata)