It doesn’t take a business owner to appreciate cost-effectiveness, but when you’re responsible for the look and upkeep of your own building, you may give this a bit more thought than the average consumer. You know how important the curb appeal of your building is, but you also keep in mind the cost of maintenance. That’s why you should consider perennials when it comes to your commercial landscaping—beautiful, long-lasting, and low-maintenance, perennials are a great way to bring nature onto to your lot, without breaking the bank.
What is a Perennial?
A perennial is a plant that lives for over two years. Unlike an annual plant that goes through its entire lifespan in one year, a perennial’s roots live through the winter and it continues its growth cycle in the spring. There are two types of perennials for you to choose from:
- Woody perennials. A woody perennial is a tree, shrub or vine. These plants have a root system under the soil and a body that’s exposed aboveground. Both the body and the roots live all winter long, and they resume growing each year.
- Herbaceous perennials. Herbaceous, or non-woody perennials, also have a body and a root system, but the entire plant won’t live through the year. Instead, the exposed body will wilt and die, but the roots remain alive through the winter. This means the plant will re-grow itself come springtime. You may be familiar with herbaceous perennials like hosta, ferns, grasses, and some herbs, like mint.
Because perennials re-grow themselves every year, you can bypass the maintenance that comes with annual planting. You can skip handling seedlings and pulling up dead roots every year, and your watering, fertilizing, and weeding schedules won’t revolve around digging up your plants at the end of each season.
What Does Perennial Maintenance Look Like?
That’s not to say perennials don’t need maintenance. Like any plant, they need proper care and attention to keep them healthy and looking their best.
Regular watering, weeding, and pruning are essential in making sure your landscaping stays attractive. You’ll also want to deadhead your flowering perennials to rid it of wilted flowers and make room for new growth. You should also think ahead about dividing your plants. Perennials will keep growing each year, getting bigger and bigger, potentially outgrowing their space. Digging perennials up and dividing them into smaller plant clusters every few years can help keep your plants a manageable size and shape.
Most perennials are low-maintenance, but professional landscapers will keep them beautiful and lush throughout the season. Whether you need to schedule regular maintenance or would like to explore an irrigation system to keep your plants healthy while conserving water and energy, we know how important it is to find the best budget-conscious landscaping options!
How Do I Get the Most Out of My Plants?
Finding the best plants for your lot can take some legwork, and we’re happy to help. To get the most out of your perennials, you need to know what environment you’re working with, and you should to talk to a professional landscaper about your expectations.
To pick the best perennials for your professional space, first take a look at your building and consider the following:
- Do you get a lot of sun exposure, or are you mostly in the shade? You’ll want to pick plants that will thrive in the amount of light you have available.
- Do you have an irrigation system, or do you plan on installing one? This will determine how drought-tolerant your perennials need to be.
- Is your lot exposed to a lot of wildlife? You may want to look into some deer-detracting plants.
You’ll also want to talk to your landscaper about your expectations for your plants. The down-side to perennials re-growing every year is they won’t bloom all season long. Blooming uses a lot of the plant’s energy, and it needs this energy for its hibernation period. This means you’re left with a shorter blooming period, so choosing your plants based on how much you like its flowers alone may not be the best long-term decision.
Instead, look for perennials like hostas or ferns that have a unique, vibrant appearance without flowers. You could also look into trees or shrubs with brightly colored leaves, like the striking velvet cloak smoke tree. If you have your heart set on flowers, talk to your landscaper about finding plants that bloom at different times during the season, so something on your lot is always in bloom.
A good landscaper can help you figure out all this and more. Our job is to help you find the best flora for your space, making sure it stays healthy and beautiful. Whether you need plants that thrive in the shade, or if you need something that will hold its own against temperature changes, we can help you pick the best foliage for your commercial landscaping project.
