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Garden Essentials
50 Most Elegant Perennial Garden Ideas
Modified: December 6, 2023
Your home deserves an amazing perennial garden that will make your yard bloom beautifully with the changing seasons. Here are some awesome tips.
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People have started prioritizing the quality of air in their homes now more than ever. It has never really been something you’ve probably thought to worry about, but it does make a lot of sense to make sure that the air we breathe inside the comfort of our homes is as clean as possible. The last thing we need in these trying times is weak lungs. This is why many have turned to create a real green space inside and outside their homes. There are so many plants that don’t really require a lot of effort to maintain but can absolutely do wonders not only for the air we breathe but also for our overall mental health. Green has always been a color that’s associated with nature, calm, and healing, so it’s certainly something that we can all use inside our homes.
There are so many types of gardens we can try to nurture but the spotlight this time will be on the perennial garden. Unlike a vegetable garden or an herb garden, a perennial garden focuses on gorgeous blooming plants that change with the seasons. It falls under a more ornamental typology when it comes to its functions. Aside from providing improved air quality, this type of garden can also boost your mental state with its amazing scents and its beautiful, vibrant colors. Although it isn’t the easiest garden to maintain, your efforts will surely pay off in the long run with these wonderful perennial garden ideas.
As you go through your gardening journey, you’ll probably notice that the tools are the main cause for a huge pile-up. It isn’t enough anymore to just put all of them in a bucket or on the floor in the corner of your garage. Invest in a reliable and sturdy storage cabinet that can be your one-stop-shop for all your garden essentials. This will also keep you from losing and misplacing your tools all the time.
If you’ve been doing this for a while, a simple cabinet might not be enough to keep everything in check. Sometimes, you feel like you need a whole extra room just for your gardening stuff and this is where garden sheds absolutely shine. You can get them in so many sizes to fit your needs. Some can even go as big as the size of a car!
Of course, not everyone has the yard space for a whole shed and maybe you have a spare closet or just some extra space in the garage. You can also get a really handy tool rack where you can conveniently store your larger tools to avoid having them just fall to the floor and cause a lot of accidents. The best part is that it is movable so it will never be in the way and will always be easy to stow away.
Patio furniture is a big factor if you want to make your garden a place to hang out. This is especially true when it comes to perennial gardens, so why not leave a perfect spot where you can just chill? There is no better feeling in the world than just watching the day melt away while the flowers gently sway with the wind. Sounds like paradise! Aside from having comfortable furniture, most of these pieces have really convenient storage spaces hidden, like the bench above.
While it is always important to prioritize convenience and functionality when it comes to your garden storage, there are so many products nowadays that also balance utility with aesthetics. A sturdy and weatherproof storage box is super important in your garden, but why not take it up and go for a design that makes high-grade plastic look like rustic wood?
Soil pH might be a new concept to a lot of gardeners out there, but it’s actually a very important factor to consider when selecting plants to nurture at home. The weather may be perfect and you don’t miss a beat when it comes to maintenance, but your plants might be losing out on something and a few might be dying as well. This could be a soil pH issue, and you can test it with these strips.
You’ve probably searched several websites and checked on how to take care of certain types of plants but you’ve never really understood what medium light is. For a lot of us, it seems really subjective and involves a lot of guesswork because what’s really bright for you, might not be enough for your plants. Maybe you’ve overwatered the soil or maybe you haven’t watered enough. It’s always hard to tell, so you can beat this dilemma with an actual meter to plunge into the soil and improve your performance as a plant parent.
Tool storage can take up a lot of floor space and some of us just don’t have the extra spot to keep that large cabinet or even a small tool rack. If this has ever been your problem, then you have to invest in a good wall-mounted rack that conveniently grabs your tools. It keeps them securely hung on the wall waiting for your next gardening adventure.
A working table is actually very important when it comes to gardening because you can perform many processes such as propagation and transplanting. It’s certainly way better than squatting down and hurting your back and legs. When you get your work table, you can make it even more useful and efficient by adding a tabletop cabinet with a ton of small compartments which are perfect for storing all your tools and essentials for gardening.
10. Create Rustic Planter Racks With Some Crates
Photo from Pinterest
What you’ll need:
1. Crates
You can also play around with the kind of planting you do in your garden. You can allocate some space for putting your perennial plants straight into the ground while some can be in planters. If you find yourself having a lot of smaller plants in pots, you can keep them all beautifully displayed vertically with a DIY rack made out of crates.
11. A Pallet Is Perfect For Storing Your Large Gardening Tools
Photo from Pinterest
What you’ll need:
1. Pallets
If you’re finding yourself on a bit of a budget and you don’t really want to shell out too much cash for your tool storage, then a large pallet will be more than enough to act as a DIY tool rack to keep everything upright and safe. This is definitely an age-old hack that more people have to try. Not only is it effective but it looks very trendy as well.
12. Create A Vertical Planter Rack With Just A Ladder And Planks For Limited Spaces
Photo from interestingengineering.com
What you’ll need:
1. Ladder
2. Planks
DIY shelves will always be a good idea whether you just need a quick and easy space to store your things or you want a very creative vertical garden set up. By doing so you can deduct the large cost of getting a rack custom-made. The overall form with its diagonal frame also gives a subtle twist to your garden. Isn’t it so much less boring than a regular shelf you get from a store?
What you’ll need:
As far as vertical garden hacks go, this is definitely something you wouldn’t want to miss out on. Vertical gardens are all the rage right now as it saves space while giving you a ton of greenery and fresh air. However, it isn’t the most affordable thing in the world since you need a stable framework for the plants to latch onto. Getting bed slats with S hooks is more than enough to hang your plant bags and create an instant climbing garden.
Going vertical is one of the most important considerations in design right now as spaces keep getting tighter and tighter. The usual problem though with vertical gardens is that the plants underneath might not be able to get the best exposure to the sun. If you get something as simple as an inclined planter rack, you can easily solve this problem while still making the most out of your vertical space.
What you’ll need:
Storage carts can be your best friend no matter where you are at home. It can follow you in the bathroom for a comprehensive spa or skincare treatment day or it can also hold your most prized spices and pantry ingredients in the kitchen as you make your favorite dishes. In the garden, it can be your planting buddy with all your tools and essentials safely in tow. Sometimes, timing can be of the essence when performing certain gardening processes so you don’t really have the time to be running back and forth to the garden shed.
What you’ll need:
It’s alright to admit that you don’t really have all the names of the plants memorized. Being able to identify them is important because different perennial plants have different needs. Some require constant watering while others don’t, so the last thing you want is providing the wrong kind of care to the wrong plant. Get some chalkboard paint to be able to label your planters and keep your organization at its very best.
17. Keep Your Garden Hose From Snaking Around With A Round Container
Photo from Pinterest
What you’ll need:
- Metal drum or any large round container.
The garden hose is one of the most classic garden organization nightmares. You never really know the best way to keep it neat or to prevent it from appearing like a snake that has invaded your perennial garden. The solution to this age-old nightmare is to get a large round drum for it to coil around in. Afterward, you never have to worry about snake surprises or tripping over the garden hose ever again.
Read more: When To Plant Perennial Seeds
18. Hanging Planters Can Make Sure You Have Plants Literally Everywhere You Look
Photo from thespruce.com
What you’ll need:
It’s great to have different types of plants everywhere, but you definitely don’t have to limit them to be on the ground or in pots on shelves. Make use of your overhangs and place hanging plants. A surprising hack you can do is to use hanging fruit baskets as they can function as perfect hanging planters.
Life can sometimes get busy whether we like it or not, and there will be times when you’re going to be too tired to do anything else when you get home. The last thing you want is to forget to water your plants, so it might be good for you to invest in some self-watering planters. There’s a storage unit underneath that cycles water whenever necessary so you won’t have to constantly keep an eye on your plants.
Even if you give your plants lots of love, overwatering can easily cause your plants to die. When the soil has too much water, the roots can’t handle it, eventually rotting and killing the plants in the process. It can be tough to tell when it’s actually time for some watering, but this simple little invention of a water meter can tell you when it’s time. This way, you never miss a beat when it comes to caring for your precious perennial garden.
Yo don’t have to give up on your dream of a beautiful garden if you don’t have a big yard or you just don’t have a lot of space. You can have your very own mini perennial garden with this full cart that includes an area for planting as well as a small compartment underneath for storing your essentials. Imagine how gorgeous those flowers would bloom on this robust metal cart.
Home gardens don’t have to be decorated like a professional. Sometimes, a little chaos is more appropriate because perfection is overrated. This is why it’s actually good to be playful with your choice of planters. You don’t have to pressure yourself that all the pots should be the same type. You can simply stick to a certain color palette, but there’s nothing wrong with picking a unique planter. How cool would it be to have a spinning vertical planter rack that creates a nice little pyramid of greens?
Planning your perennial garden takes a lot of research because having the flowers clash against each other or one overshadow the other the last thing you want. If you find yourself a little overwhelmed with the concept which should go where, you can try investing in a stair-type planter to make sure every kind of flower has its own space to shine and be beautiful. This also organizes your plants to avoid the wrong kind of plant care. Maybe your bottom row requires a lot of water while the upper bunks don’t. This can definitely help solve that confusion.
By going back to the concept of labeling and organizing your plants, you can be a bit bolder and use the labels as part of the decor. Your plants would look so cute with these adorable wooden stakes with their names written on them. It will definitely add a lot of coziness and warmth to your perennial garden. Not only will you be able to care for them more efficiently and accurately, but people visiting you will also learn about the different types of plants in the world thanks to your efforts!
Even if you don’t consider yourself as someone who likes to use planners and organizers, it might be a good time to start now as your journey with your perennial garden is going to be a long but fun one. Keeping a gardening journal can be useful for monitoring not just your own progress, but also your plants’ growth. You can also easily isolate the kind of stuff you’re doing that could be harmful while seeing the helpful ones as well.
Never give up on your dreams for a perennial garden even if you have limited yard space. A collapsible greenhouse has so many great uses. It can be a small space to try if you can take care of an actual perennial plant. It can also be a small work area for you to do plant transplants. And lastly, it can be a nursery for young plants that can’t quite survive out in the open just yet.
As mentioned multiple times, it’s important that you know what your plants like and dislike. Sometimes, one wrong move can mean life or death for your shrubs and that’s the last thing you want. You can invest in a raised planting bed which is better for your back but also a bed that has divisions so you can better manage the type of care each type of perennial plant needs.
Your perennial garden is blooming and gorgeous on so many different levels. Your eyes wander as you admire the fruits of your labor giving your garden life and color, and then you see a small patch of bare soil where your water meter is. Eyesores in your yard are normal, but they’re not always the best things to look at. You can’t exactly relocate them as they’re usually crucial necessities for your home to function. Keep them hidden by getting an enclosure that matches your fences or general home decor.
Trash cans are one of the most well-known eyesores on the outside of our homes. If you don’t put in some care, it can really ruin the look of your house. Similarly, with your perennial garden, keep the beauty going by selecting an elegant trash can enclosure like the one above that emulates the look of a classy Greek column.
Vertical gardens are tricky to plan and even more expensive to execute if you hire a professional. However, there’s an easy DIY garden idea you can try, which is buying these ready-made vertical garden bags. You can either mount these on a wall or wrap them around a large column. It’s made out of fabric, so it is very flexible and capable of doing what you want.
You can add a touch of class to your perennial garden by investing in an outdoor furniture set that’s resistant to the weather. This metal set is gorgeous and intricate with its floral patterns. They’ll look stunning against a sea of perennial plants, and you can sit down and just enjoy a cup of tea while admiring all your hard work.
Most planters come with holes drilled underneath to prevent your soil from being too saturated with water. However, it can be a big mess when the water just spills on the tile so it’s actually a good investment to get planters with their matching catch plates. You can also cycle the excess water for the next watering schedule.
Clay is a very special material that can regulate the temperature of the soil. It keeps the soil from overheating while being a very secure home. This is why brick homes tend to have cooler temperatures inside because it’s a unique property that clay possesses.
Although metal furniture is the more classic choice, homes everywhere have turned to use plastic rattan as they’re waterproof and lightweight. The woven effect is also unique and provides a very tropical effect which is perfect for the outdoors. They’re also more affordable so you know you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.
Storage carts are great and convenient, but exposed compartments also spill over or get blown away by the wind. The outside forces are so unpredictable that you might also want to consider getting a closed storage cart or a small mobile cabinet. It can move wherever you want it to while keeping your tools safe.
Sometimes, we don’t really have space for a full workstation so it’s important to remember that there are collapsible carts with their own worktops. Once you’re done with your work in the garden, you can just stow it away in the nooks and crannies of your home. It’s so convenient that you can use it practically anywhere in your house.
Vermiculite is a great soil additive that improves water drainage to letting air in. The larger particles act as spacers so the ground isn’t too squished together which can be really bad for perennial plants.
Garden ornaments have come a long way from being plastic figures that generally look tacky. You can add a lot of life and character to your perennial garden by getting some sculptures for birds to perch on and almost give a sense of whim and magic.
If you have a lot of indoor plants or just a part of your garden that’s on the dimmer side, you can compensate for the lack of sunlight by making use of grow lights. These are incredibly useful especially if you don’t have a yard. They effectively mimic sunlight and provide nutrients that your plants need from natural light exposure.
You have to also consider how your perennial garden looks in the evenings. Without light, all the colors will dull out in the darkness and it won’t be enjoyable to hang outside in the evenings. Invest in some beautiful light fixtures to highlight their beauty even when the sun isn’t out.
Your nursery can come in many forms but this is definitely one of the more handy configurations to try. It’s a raised plant bed but with a dozen divisions to isolate each baby plant and make sure they have their own little space to grow. You can partner this with a grow light and you’ll have the plant nursery of a professional.
Adding stones to your perennial garden is a sure way to add texture and variety. It also helps mark boundaries so that guests don’t accidentally step on your precious babies. This particular type of stone is treated to glow in the dark. Even in the evenings, you’ll still have clear boundaries and your garden will look magical.
Aside from establishing clear boundaries with rocks and other garden furniture, pruning and snipping are important to keep your plants in their best shape. This encourages growth but also makes sure they don’t overstep their limits and hurt any neighboring plants. Especially if you plan to have hedges, garden shears are a complete necessity to keep everything in order.
Gardening is fun until you realize you have to really get down to the ground. This can be really harmful to the elderly or people with back issues. If you don’t want to risk hurting your back, it’s also a wonderful option to get a raised plant bed and tend to your garden at a comfortable height. It will still be every bit as gorgeous as a garden on the ground.
Every day, companies are coming up with new and exciting innovations to make gardening more enjoyable and convenient so you should definitely make full use of these inventions. There are so many gardening tools today that older professionals must have always dreamed of and you’re so lucky to be living in the age where they’ve been invented.
Gardening has its share of hazards, so if you need to be cautious and invest in some form of protective gear. Investing in a decent pair of knee guards is always a good idea especially since you never know what you’re kneeling on. Kneeling for a long time can hurt if you don’t have any form of cushioning, especially if there are objects such as sharp rocks on the ground.
As I’ve said, different types of plants require different types of care. You don’t really have all the time to switch how you water every single plant. Imagine running from place to place in your garden just because you have to stop using your watering can and replace it with your orchids. Opt for a garden hose that has a flexible body as well as a flexible nozzle that can adapt to your every need.
Fountains have always been deemed as a sign of luxury and opulence even in the Roman and Greek eras. The idea of water itself is a luxury and force of life. Adding a water feature to your perennial garden will no doubt create a cooling effect and will definitely transport you to a feeling of being close and one with nature.
Planning your perennial garden takes a lot of work and there are just so many types of perennials to choose from that it can be so daunting if you’re just doing it all by yourself. You have to clearly plan it by color, blooming season, and even their heights. It pays to do your research or just get a really good book that tackles everything you will need to know to have the perennial garden of your dreams.
Every journey starts with a single step and with your perennial garden, it’s quite safe to start with getting some heirloom seeds and see them slowly grow and bloom to perfection. These are widely available and inexpensive so you can really practice your gardening skills on them. Lastly, they’re so beautiful so they’ll look amazing no matter where you decide to put them.
As they say, nature always finds a way. It’s definitely one of the forces that we can’t fully control but we can help guide them to where we prefer them to go. Just like any living thing, they probably won’t follow our plans always, but it doesn’t mean you can’t plan for that beautiful or elegant perennial garden of your dreams.
It’s always important to ask yourself and be true to yourself on how you can really take care of them and make sure they’re getting the love they deserve. You should make sure it doesn’t become something you’ll consider a hassle. Creating and maintaining your perennial garden should be something you consider therapeutic and if you give it a lot of love, I promise you that it will reciprocate the love.
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