Herbaceous perennials are plants that live for several years and survive by dying down in autumn and then regrow in spring to avoid being exposed to cold winter weather. The ‘herbaceous border’ was a popular feature in Victorian gardens but lost popularity on account of them being too labour-intensive.
Modern herbaceous plant varieties need far less maintenance than their Victorian counterparts and are more suited to mixed borders where they can be grown amongst shrubs and bedding plants, whereas herbaceous borders lost visual appeal in winter, mixed borders have more year-round appeal and are better suited to modern gardens. Modern varieties of herbaceous perennials need less staking and dividing than the older types. Some herbaceous perennials have handsome, decorative foliage like Heuchera and Hosta, some like Lupins, are grown primarily for floral effect. Lupins add a welcome touch of colour in early summer. Keep an eye out for the large aphids that can feed on them and disfigure the flowers. We recommend SB Plant Invigorator for controlling these pests. It is a natural plant-based insecticide that is not harmful to the environment.
Remove the faded flowers as soon as possible by cutting off the old flower spikes. Failing to do this can result in the plants putting too many resources in seed production and this can shorten their life.
Geums are excellent for mixed borders. Naturally compact and freely flowering, these plants will give colour and interest for a long period. They flourish in full sun and semi shade and are very low maintenance.
