A winning combination of annuals and perennials transforms the outdoor space with a fresh, ever-changing display of color. Different plants thrive under different conditions, so it is important to find the perfect pairings that will beautify any Hudson Valley, NY, home. E.P. Jansen Nursery LLC offers an incredibly wide variety of plants, giving landscape contractors the freedom to get creative and impress their clients with an abundance of plant options.
Capture the Beauty of a Mixed Border
Some homeowners don’t see the beauty behind a perennial border filled with annuals, but a healthy mix of both types of selections provides the most color possible all year round. While annuals come in all colors of the spectrum and the enjoyment of their grand appearance is limited to a season or two, perennials generally produce blooms without the need for replanting for years to come. Choose showier annuals that focus on the desired style and look of the garden with perennials as their excellent companions, and form a colorful garden mix that has special surprises at various times of the year.
Related: Ulster County, NY, Fall Landscaping Checklist from Our Plant Nursery
Place Noteworthy Annuals at the Border
Some annuals may add too much bright orange, and bold red and yellow that doesn’t seem to fit in with the soft pastels of perennials. Stunningly colorful annuals are perfect for instant color within flower beds, containers, or edges that have a repeating theme.
A great match that will add beauty and structure to a perennial border is the rosh bush. Roses offer a generous selection and provide a solid mass of bloom. Knock Out roses (Rosa radrazz) can grow well in Hudson Valley but do need some wind protection. These roses are heat tolerant and do well in sunny and hot locations. The Knock Out rose can reach 3 to 4 feet wide and tall and look just right along a fence line or a garden edge. Match the hot pink roses with an eye-catching companion, the perennial blue sage (Salvia azurea). With their long-lasting blooms, salvia plants can attract beautiful butterflies to the garden.
Related: Our Garden Center’s Tips for Beautiful Raised Planting Beds in the Ulster County, NJ, Area
Choose Annuals with Good Foliage
Healthy annuals offer full, handsome foliage that sets the mood in the outdoor space and contributes a lot to a perennial garden. We don’t recommend going for the biggest or most open blooms only since they tend to burn out too soon. Instead, you may want to choose a healthy mix that has similar sun and watering needs, unless they are planted in containers and can be watered separately. To make a flower border interesting, mix perennials with different flower shapes. For example, the skinny, silvery gray foliage of Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) whose lavender-purple flowers make a bold statement in the garden, will look even better with zinnias (Zinnia violacea), a true annual plant. It blooms easily and offers color for any garden situation with its delicate neutrals, golds, deep red, and bright orange shade. Both plants like lots of sun and less watering, especially the Russian sage.
Beautify the Shade
Annuals like the impatiens plant (Balsaminaceae), tropical-looking elephant ears (Colocasia), and alyssum (Lobularia maritima) can tolerate partial shade with four to six hours of sun needed daily. Create stunning borders next to a walkway or driveway with matching shade-loving perennials like astilbes (Rhizomatous), hosta plant (Funkia), bleeding heart flower (Lamprocapnos spectabilis), and Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium caeruleum).
