If you’re keen to develop and beautify your home garden, you will need to be able to distinguish between annual and perennial plants. What’s the difference? Is there a winner between annuals vs perennials? Keep reading to find out!
Perennials vs Annuals
The fundamental difference between the two is the life cycle of the plants.
Annuals have a lifespan of one growing season, while perennials live for three or more years and survive multiple growing seasons.
But it’s not quite as simple as that, as many individual species harbor slight variations to the rule. So you’ll have to know which types of plants and flowers will thrive in your garden before planting.
This comprehensive guide will tell you everything you need to know about the difference between annual plants and perennial plants.
It will also introduce you to each type of garden plant’s variants and offer advice on how best to introduce the different plants to your garden.
Let’s dive in and begin by taking a look at the main characteristics of both annual plants and perennial plants.
What Are Annual Plants?
As the name suggests, annual plants are those that germinate, flower, and die in just one season. In the first year of planting annuals, you will be able to chart their growing cycle.
Most annuals grow in the late spring and early summer and have wilted and died by the time the first frost arrives later in the year.
Annuals tend to be flowering plants and have fleshy exteriors that attract pollinators. They tend not to grow well in colder climates as they require significant sunlight, water, and rich, organic soils.
Annual plants are known for their flower production and are commonly used to beautify gardens.
That being said, annuals are best understood when split into three distinct groups:
- Hardy annuals: Although we’ve just mentioned that most annuals don’t do well in the winter months, hardy annuals [like forget-me-not] can tolerate exposure to light frost without protection. They tend to grow well in early spring.
- Tender annuals: These plants [marigolds, for instance] are native to subtropical, warm climates and rely on heat for their growth. They shouldn’t be planted until late spring at the earliest and often do better in containers rather than directly planted in soil.
- Half-hardy annuals: These are the most common types of annuals, as they tolerate a wide range of temperatures and are relatively resistant to the start of spring and end of fall.
It’s a good idea to understand your garden’s hardiness zone before you select annuals for cultivation.
This will ensure that you choose the appropriate plants and annual flowers and don’t have to worry about the external environment too much when cultivating and maintaining your garden. Start growing annuals if you want a flourishing flower garden!
Types of Annual Plants
- Ageratum (floss flower)
- Angelonia (summer snapdragon)
- Bedding Plants (most types)
- Begonias
- Calibrachoa
- Coleus
- Dusty Miller
- Geranium
- Impatiens
- Marigold
- Pansies
- Petunia
- Verbena
- Vinca
- Zinnia
What Are Perennial Plants?
In stark contrast to annuals, perennials are cold-hardy, resistant plants that will return again next year with spring. Perennial plants regrow year after year – how long will depend on the plant.
Most perennial flowers will only bloom once a year, although there are several varieties of long-blooming perennials that you can pick up at your local garden center.
The best way to identify these is to read the plant label before buying them.
If grown in optimal conditions and well looked after, perennials tend to live a long time, but it really depends on the type of plant.
You can expect your perennials to live for at least three years, but some can even survive for decades.
You will find that some perennials need a fair amount of care and attention to nurture them, and you will possibly have to prune and divide them regularly.
Others, however, are incredibly robust and grow regardless of their external environment.
Picking the right perennials is essential, as you don’t want to be burdened with a plant species that you can’t thoroughly look after. This super helpful resource introduces you to a vast collection of perennials and will help you decide what’s appropriate for your garden.
Types of Perennial Plants
- Astilbe
- Columbines
- Daylily
- Foxgloves
- Goldenrod
- Hibiscus
- Hostas
- Hydrangeas
- Irises
- Lavender
- Lupins
- Ornamental Grasses (most types)
- Pinks
- Scabiosa
- Showy Blooms (several types)
- Stonecrop
What’s Better? Annuals vs Perennials?
The most appropriate answer to give here is that neither annuals nor perennials are better than the other. In fact, a flourishing, diverse garden with various new plants and flowers is extremely healthy.
As such, if you can, it’s a good idea to mix annuals and perennials so that you can enjoy vibrant colors within your garden at different times of the year.
Why Annuals are the Best
Let’s take a look at some of the best things about annuals:
- True annuals are popular with gardeners who like to cultivate their beds one season at a time. Because the entire life cycle of annuals is completed within one year, you’re able to start again and try new things in the garden by the following spring.
- Gardeners believe annuals to be a great way of filling vacant spots in their beds. They’re also handy to plant in containers and move them to various positions in your garden.
- You can enjoy the beauty of annuals in their first season, as they bloom almost immediately and provide instant satisfaction. This is a significant confidence boost for new and inexperienced gardeners.
- Annuals don’t have deep root systems and are easily removed and replaced if you change your mind. This means you have less work to do to prepare your garden for its second year of cultivation.
Why Perennials are the Best
What about perennials? Here are some of the reasons why you should include perennials in your garden as well:
- If you’re looking to develop your garden in the long term, hardy perennials are a great option. They tend to survive cold winters and come back again the following year. So, you don’t always have to plan your new beds at the start of spring, as you can be sure that your perennials will come back.
- One of the best things about tender perennials [and those with a short life span] is that you can divide and disperse their seeds to perpetuate their population, ensuring they will be ready for the next growing season.
- Most perennials require less water than annuals. This is positive when your garden is in full sun during the summer and will help you manage your water consumption levels.
- Lots of perennials will even grow into late winter. This makes them popular with people who want to watch the growth of their garden all year round, as opposed to just in the spring and summer months.
As you can see, there are so many positives to both annuals and perennials that it’s not really accurate to describe one as better than the other.
If you’re unsure of which type of plant you’re selecting at the garden center, be sure to check the plant tag, as this will help you decide if it’s what you’re looking for.
What Are Biennial Plants?
It would help if you were careful not to confuse perennials with biennial plants. Biennials, as the name tells us, complete their lifecycle in two years.
Biennials usually begin their life with a set seed that begins their biological process during the first growing season.
Some biennial plants are flowering and even grow well in full shade. However, they are more often times vegetables grown beneath the soil surface, such as beets and carrots.
Biennials offer incredible diversity to your garden and encourage you to enjoy your produce in different ways.
Perennials vs Annuals: The Verdict
So, what’s the final scoop on perennials vs annuals? Well, hopefully, it’s clear that there are significant benefits to both perennial and annual plants.
In fact, most healthy gardens will have a diverse and eclectic mix of the two main types of plants and may even have a selection of biennials as well.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when selecting plants for your garden is recognizing each species’ suitability.
You need to ensure your growing conditions are favorable, and the weather and external environment will help yield the expected flowers or produce.
You should also think about your capacity and be confident that you will be able to look after the plants in your garden. If you enjoy changing things up every year, annuals certainly give you the flexibility and variety you’re looking for.
Whereas, if you’re looking to develop your garden in the long term, you will find that perennials will save you time [and money] as you don’t have to worry about seed formation every season.
So, to summarize, our verdict is this – both perennials and annuals help to beautify your garden, so be open-minded and willing to incorporate a variety of plants and flowers into your beds each season.